


Will you be my VIXXentine?

by 3star4life



Category: VIXX
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Aquariums, Awkward Dates, Blade Runner 2049 - Freeform, Bodyguard, Break Up, Bridget Jones's Diary References, Captivity, Established Relationship, Fluff, Friendship, Hinted torture, Historical Inaccuracy, Infidelity, Insecurities, Inspired by 30 Rock, Inspired by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Inspired by Inglorious Basterds, Love Letters, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Manipulation, Memory Deletion, Mild Smut, Minor Character Death, Mutual Attraction, Objectification, One-Sided Attraction, Past Relationship(s), Photography, Political Campaigns, Power-Trip, Regency, Replicants (Blade Runner), Royalty, Science Fiction, Self-Esteem Issues, Sexual Tension, Tattoos, VIXXentines2021, Valentine's Day, Vampires, War, ankle fetish, mentions of disability
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-11 22:47:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 71,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29125188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3star4life/pseuds/3star4life
Summary: VIXX drabbles & fics for the month of February! All prompts are from @crazyjane13 on twitter.Pairings, ratings, and any warnings will be listed in the author notes! In addition I'll include the pairings in the chapter titles. Tags will be updated accordingly!
Relationships: Cha Hakyeon | N/Jung Taekwoon | Leo, Cha Hakyeon | N/Lee Hongbin, Cha Hakyeon | N/Lee Jaehwan | Ken, Han Sanghyuk | Hyuk/Kim Wonshik | Ravi, Han Sanghyuk | Hyuk/Lee Hongbin, Han Sanghyuk | Hyuk/Lee Jaehwan | Ken, Jung Taekwoon | Leo/Lee Hongbin, Jung Taekwoon | Leo/Lee Jaehwan | Ken, Kim Wonshik | Ravi/Kim Taeyeon, Kim Wonshik | Ravi/Lee Hongbin, Kim Wonshik | Ravi/Lee Jaehwan | Ken, Lee Hongbin/Lee Jaehwan | Ken
Comments: 36
Kudos: 33





	1. Meet Me in Montauk (Keo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Taekwoon/Jaehwan  
> Rating: R (Mature)  
> Prompt: "My heart is still remembering"  
> Warning: memory erasure; insecurities; mild smut
> 
> Also Jaehwan's hair color changes _a lot._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any typos! I'll fix them once I find the will to read this lol

_Today_

Taekwoon slams his alarm, groaning tiredly as he opens his eyes, squinting from the brightness decorating his room. He stretches with a yawn then stares at the ceiling, eyes focusing on the corner of the room, noting how the paint is chipped there. His mind feels blank, for some reason not remembering a single dream he had last night. He must’ve slept through the night because he doesn’t recall stirring or waking up, yet for some reason his body aches from fatigue. Glancing over at his alarm clock whines, realizing if he doesn’t get up now, he’ll be late for work. 

It’s while he walks past his wall calendar does a circled date catch his attention: February 14th. Valentine’s Day. He blinks at the dark red circle on the calendar, wondering why he would bother to remember a holiday that doesn’t have anything to do with him. He doesn’t have anyone to buy chocolate for or cook dinner for. Maybe he circled it to call his mom and wish her a Happy Valentine’s Day. He sighs as he walks into the bathroom, rolling his tired shoulders as he does. He would do that during his lunch then.

* * *

It’s not absolutely freezing, but it’s quite chilly. Taekwoon pulls his black beanie down a little more to cover the exposed part of his ears, bouncing on his feet lightly, hands tucked in his pockets as he tries to stay warm. He sees a man shivering on the other side of the track, clutching a bouquet of roses as he blows into his palms, trying to stay warm. Taekwoon looks away and taps his foot against the floor, feeling restless as he waits for his train, for reasons unclear to him. He keeps glancing back at the train schedule behind him, too far for him to read. 

A train comes to the platform as the speakers of the station announce “ _Please board for Montauk. Please board for Montauk._ ”

_Montauk_.

For some reason, hearing that word causes Taekwoon to snap his head up at the train, his heart speeding up, his stomach suddenly churning in anticipation. He’s not exactly sure why he feels the immediate urge to walk into the train, to go to Montauk. Taekwoon doesn’t understand why; he hasn’t been to one of the beaches in Montauk in at least a couple of years, the last time also being on a chilly day. He certainly can’t think of any reasons why he would want to go now, when he should be heading to work. 

He finds the word gnawing at his head: _Montauk. Montauk. Montauk._

The operator announces over the speakers, _“Last call for Montauk.”_

Without giving it another thought, Taekwoon snaps his head towards the train’s door and jogs in, knowing how much of an impulsive decision this is, yet not caring. He pants as he sits down on the first empty seat he finds, as he takes off his winter hat and runs a hand through his dark brown hair. He glances around the _nearly_ empty train, snapping his head back when he sees a mop of blond hair on the other side of the compartment. Another man, about his age is shooting a boxy smile his way. 

Taekwoon turns towards his left to see if there’s anyone else on the train the blond must be grinning at. There is not. He moves his attention back to the stranger and gives a tight-lipped smile back.

“Hi!” the stranger calls out to him. 

Opening his mouth in hesitation, Taekwoon responds, “H-hello.” 

The blond stands up, a tall man being just _slightly_ shorter than Taekwoon. He moves a few seats closer, leaving a seat in between the two of them, a smile still plastered on his face. “Going to the beach?” he asks excitedly, blinking through his fringes.

Taekwoon blinks, slightly taken aback by how pretty the other male looks. His eyes glance down at the plush pink lips before he realizes the other had asked him a question. Glancing back up to meet the stranger’s eyes, Taekwoon gives a small nod. “Uh, yes. The beach.” 

The attractive stranger beams at him, moving over to the seat separating them and leans forward, whispering loudly “Me too, but I should be going to work.” He shushes Taekwoon as if he just told him a dreadful secret. 

Up close, Taekwoon’s eyes close in on the faint beauty mark right next to the stranger’s left side-burn, his eyes once again meeting the other male’s round, brown eyes. He smiles back as he says “I need to too.” licking his lips as he adds, “I’m also supposed to be at work.” 

With a pout, the stranger tilts his head, “Then why are you going to the beach? In a completely different city?”

Taekwoon wonders himself, assessing the situation. “Because…” he starts off, looking for the right words. Why _is he_ even going to a beach on a chilly morning in the middle of the week, taking a twenty minute train trip to do so. He doesn’t have a clear reason...he just feels like it. He’s not sure what words would best explain this impulse. Looking back at the stranger, he just shrugs. 

“Just because, huh?” the blond asks him.

Nodding, with a shy smile, Taekwoon agrees “Just because.” 

The blond tilts his head to the other side, narrowing his eyebrows slightly, as if he’s examining the brunet. He quirks a smile as he says “Same here.” His eyebrows are still scrunched as he follows up, “Say, you’re the man from the bookstore last week, right?”

Taekwoon opens his mouth, not sure what the other is talking about. “The...bookstore?” he asks. 

“Yeah, you came into the bookstore, said you needed to talk to me or something? I’m not exactly sure, if I’m being honest. But I could swear it was you.” the stranger confirms, moving his head from one side to the other, checking out Taekwoon’s face.

“Uh…” Taekwoon starts off, absolutely confused because he probably hasn’t been to a bookstore in… months? Or was it last year? “I’m sorry, I haven’t been to a bookstore in a while.”

Sitting up, the blond chirps “Are you sure it wasn’t you? You even knew my name.” 

Taekwoon’s mouth remained parted as he shook his head, thinking to himself _I’d remember a pretty face like yours if I did_.

“Huh.” the stranger responds, glancing down at his lap as he mumbles to himself, “Maybe it was someone else...but how’d he know my name...oh my nametag, duh!” He snorts, giggling to himself before glancing back up at the brunet, shaking his head as he says “Oh, I’m sorry! I must’ve confused you for another customer.” giving Taekwoon a toothy grin reaching the corners of his eyes.

The smile makes Taekwoon feel a weird pull in his chest, hoping the stranger doesn’t hear his sharp intake of breath. He lets out a genuine, quiet chuckle. “It’s okay.” 

It’s quiet for a second, the stranger observing Taekwoon’s face. Taekwoon only blinks right back. The stranger pulls his hand out of the pocket of his, admittedly, oversized puffer jacket, extending it to the brunet. “Jaehwan.” he announces. 

Taekwoon glances down at the hand before glancing back up, shyly smiling back as he takes the hand and shakes, “Taekwoon.”

  
  


* * *

_Eight days ago_

“Can I help you?” The blond asks from behind the desk, his eyes unwavering from the computer screen even as he pauses typing. He finally looks up at Taekwoon with a polite, _courteous_ smile; a customer service smile; a fake smile.

Taekwoon opens and closes his mouth, perplexed at the situation. He sighs “Can we talk for a little bit?”

The other male tilts his head as he asks with that same phony smile, “Sure sir. What can I help you with.”

Gaping, Taekwoon splutters, “I- look Jae, I know you’re probably really pissed at me, but there’s no need for this. I’m here to apologize.”

Jaehwan’s ingenuine smile slowly dies as a look of confusion takes over his face. “I’m sorry…” he starts off, “...but have we met?” he asks.

Taekwoon blinks in disbelief, astonished at the length Jaehwan is going to. “Really Jaehwan? Really? You can’t talk to me like an adult?

The blond’s body goes rigid, eyes narrowing suspiciously “How do you know my name?”

* * *

“Taekwoon, don’t shout! We just got Minyul to fall asleep!” his sister harshly whispers as Taekwoon paces around her dining room, running a hand through his messy brown hair.

“Sorry.” He whispers back, apologetically glancing at his sister and brother-in-law, sighing before adding mournfully, “I mean, he changes his number, so I sent him email but all of those kept coming back as if they were deleted. And when I went to the bookstore, it’s-it’s like he doesn’t even know who I am! Treating me like a stranger! I mean, he’s gotten pissy at me before, but he’s never done this much. He literally went _‘do I know you? How do you know my name?’_ I went there to apologize, for Christ’s sake!”

Taekwoon’s older sister nods slowly as she asks “Okay...and what did you do?”

The tall male splutters, feeling the urge to let out a scream, collecting himself before sighing, “Nothing.” He places his hands on the back of a chair and slouches, “I didn’t want to cause a scene...not at his workplace.” Rubbing the back of his neck, he glances up as he says “So I left.” He stands there, head looking down in defeat, swallowing the lump in his throat before saying “I think I really fucked up this time. He’s really pissed at me.” Looking up at his sister, he finds her biting her lips. Taekwoon shakes his head, miserably chuckle, “You know, he dyed his hair blond again. I almost didn’t go up to the information desk thinking it was someone else at first. He probably did that to avoid me.” He stares down at the flowers on the printed table cloth as he mutters to himself, “He always looked so pretty with blond hair,” scoffing before murmuring “he always looks so pretty.”

His sister sighs, walking up to him and rubbing his head. “Taek, sit down. I’ll make you a cup of coffee.” 

Shaking his head, he states “No,” moving away from the chair as he adds “I’m gonna go to his house.” He starts walking towards the front room.

Taekwoon’s brother-in-law’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline as he stumbles out of his seat. “Taekwoon, I don’t think that a good idea!” 

The taller male doesn’t bother stopping, responding over his shoulder “Why? I’m going over to apologize.” Long fingers reach out for the beanie he threw on his sister’s couch, pulling the hat over his head as he adds “I’m gonna make things right.” Taekwoon buttons up the coat he hadn’t bothered taking off, adding “Once he hears me out, he’ll see how much I mean it. He’ll stop avoiding me and I’ll be cooking him a nice Valentine’s dinner next week.” he says, determined.

He’s slipping his shoes on when his brother-in-law looks towards his sister, Taekwoon’s sister closing her eyes and sighing. “I don’t think that’s an option anymore.” 

Taekwoon pauses, a bit startled, snapping his head up at his sister. “What?”

Both his sister and brother-in-law shush him, glancing towards Minyul’s room. Taekwoon tightens his lips in a silent apology as his sister walks up to him, pulling him in by his shoulders. “Taekwoon, I need to show you something. It’s best if you come in and sit down.”

He scrunches his eyebrows in confusion, kicking his shoes off once again, letting his sister pull him back towards her dining table. “I’ll make you a cup of coffee.” his brother-in-law states, giving him an apologetic smile before walking towards the kitchen. Taekwoon doesn’t understand; why are they both looking at him with such pity?

“Did...did he say something to you? Did he say he’s through with me? For good?” he asks her, hoping his voice doesn’t crack. His sister doesn’t respond, sighing as she walks over to grab something from the living room. Taekwoon’s eyes follow her as he desperately adds “Because I can still talk to him. I fucked up but I can apologize!”

His sister returns, lips tight as she hands him a letter, gulping as she says, “I think you should read this.” 

Taekwoon takes the envelope and eyes it in curiosity, unsure of what to expect. The letter is addressed to his sister and brother-in-law and sent from some place called Lacuna Inc. He opens the envelope to find a beige index-card sized note inside, reading:

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Park,_

**_Lee Jaehwan_ ** _has had_ **_Jung Taekwoon_ ** _erased from his memory. As relatives of_ **_Jung Taekwoon_ ** _, please refrain from contacting him. Please also never mention their relationship to him again._

_Thank you._

_Lacuna, Inc._

Taekwoon stares at the text, stunned. His hands shaking as he glances up, his brother-in-law standing next to his sister with a mug of steaming coffee. “Wh-wha, what does this mean?” he asks, voice wavering in disbelief. The couple glance at each other and look away. Taekwoon shakes his head, eyes scanning over the note over and over. It must be some type of prank. The note looks like a generic template that inserted his and Jaehwan’s names. “What do they mean _‘erased from his memory?’_ What the hell does that mean?!” The volume of his voice had been getting louder, but this time the couple didn’t shush him. 

His sister sits down next to him, placing her hand over his in a comforting manner, giving him a pitiful, pained grin as she breaks the news to him. “Taekwoon, Jaehwan has chosen to completely forget you.”

* * *

  
  


_Seven days ago_

Taekwoon is tapping his foot anxiously, slouching in the chair. The same couple of videos play on the small television in the waiting room, showing clips of seemingly happy people laughing and enjoying life who were once miserable with painful memories. The young doctor graces the screen again, welcoming everyone in the waiting room with a smile. _Dr. Cha_ it reads on the bottom of the screen. “With our patented non-surgical procedure, we can erase the specific memories that cause you pain, whether it'd be a loved one that has passed away or someone you cannot stand.” Taekwoon scoffs as it shows an older woman smiling as Dr. Cha pulls down some kind of hooded xray machine over her head, placed around her head like some helmet without actually touching her head. The doctor turns to the screen with a friendly smile as he says, “Don’t forget, here at Lacuna, we can help you forget.” Taekwoon rolls his eyes, trying to slow down his impatient foot tapping.

He glances around the waiting room, finding an older woman wiping away a tear with a tissue as her other arm holds a box labeled _Pippin_. Some colorful toys and a couple of photos of the lady with a Munchkin cat can be seen inside the box. The older woman blows her nose and glances up to find Taekwoon staring at her, forcing out a smile towards him as she resumes crying. Taekwoon sits up and looks away, feeling as though he just intruding someone’s personal life. He opts to stare ahead, eyes remaining glued to the _Lacuna_ sign of the front desk until the receptionist calls out for him. 

“Mr. Jung?” 

Taekwoon grabs the clipboard he placed on the seat next to him. He didn’t actually want to fill it out, hoping he could just speak with the main doctor in charge. Unfortunately for him, the receptionist made it very clear that if he wanted to speak to the doctor, he’d need to have a consultation appointment. So here he is now. He walks up to the desk and hands in the clipboard to the receptionist. He glances down at the other’s name tag, swallowing the lump in his throat as he reads _Lee Hongbin_. Is he going to feel this way every time he meets someone with Jaehwan’s last name?

Hongbin smiles up at Taekwoon after making sure the paperwork is complete, placing everything in a file titled _Jung Taekwoon_ as says, “Dr. Cha will see you now.” The door to his left buzzes and Taekwoon nods before stepping through.

* * *

“So Mr. Jung, what can I help you with today?” Dr. Cha asks from behind his desk, eyes roaming over his paperwork. He glances up at Taekwoon with that same friendly smile he was sporting in the ad, “I don’t see a lot of details here or who you’d like to forget.” 

Taekwoon swallows the lump in his throat, feeling anger coursing through his veins as he asks, “Well...first of all, I want to know how exactly this works; how can you make people forget an entire person?”

“Ah, of course.” the doctor responds, nodding as he adds, “That’s understandable.” He smile as he pulls out some example of an MRI scan of a brain glancing back up at Taekwoon as he says, “You see, we ask people to bring in all objects that reminds them of the person they’d like to forget, checking which areas of the brain lights up when they see those objects. We note the areas lighting up as the spots of your mind housing those memories of that person. We treat those areas with our patented technology by eliminating them from your mind.” he glances up from where he’s pointing in the sample MRI scan to make sure Taekwoon is following along. 

“Usually we’ll have you take a sedative before you fall asleep on the night of your procedure, then we’ll come in and perform it while you’re asleep. This would include getting rid of the memories of events leading up to the procedure, such as this consultation appointment. We’ve done the procedure on hundreds of patients in the last five years and none of them have had any negative effects. Unfortunately, since our patients’ memories of the procedure are wiped out, we don’t have any actual testimonials we can give you, however, we have reached out to relatives and friends of our patients throughout the years to make sure they are functioning well and healthy. Does that help you feel at ease, Mr. Jung?”

Taekwoon takes in all of the information the doctor just told him. Some of these things were explained in looped videos shown in the lobby, but not to this detail. He doesn’t really give a shit about how many people had the procedure done or what the exact procedure is. He tilts his head, asking in a soft voice, “Won’t I remember the person if I see something they remind me of?” 

The doctor shakes his head, still grinning as he says, “No, they won’t, but we take care of that to avoid any confusion. We will get rid of any memorabilia and send out notes to all of your friends and families, including your neighbors, coworkers, or anyone you see on a daily basis.” 

Hearing the doctor talk about the note causes Taekwoon to grip the handle of the chair. He straightens his back, inhaling deeply before saying “Well...I’m here to ask about Lee Jaehwan.”

Dr. Cha’s smile falters for a quick second before returning to its original charming form. “Mr. Jung, I’m afraid I cannot talk about my patients with anyone else.” 

Taekwoon scoffs, sitting back down onto the chair as he grits his teeth, miserably asking, “Even if I’m the person he chose to forget? _Two fuckin years_ and he just _chooses_ to forget?! What is it that you guys wrote on that piece of paper, ah yes, _erase me from his memories?!_ ” He nearly shouts, tears prickling in the corner of his eyes as he holds back a sob.

The doctor stares at the taller male with a gentle smile, not uttering a word. 

Taekwoon taps his foot on the ground, gnawing at his bottom lip as he stares at the doctor, cheeks feeling a little wetter than they were before, the rim of his eyes slightly burning. Dr. Cha stares right back, that same _fucking_ welcoming smile. The taller male looks up at the ceiling and takes in a deep breath, looking back at the other as he asks “What do I have to do to forget him? What’s the first step then?”

“Well, first thing you need to do is empty your house, apartment, locker, office space of everything that might remind you of him. This includes pictures, gifts, artwork, souvenirs, clothing, receipts, cards, etc. Anything you might associate with them needs to be removed. We ask you to bring those in. As I mentioned, we will show you each of these items and track where in your mind Jaehwan’s memories are stored, noting all of the spots lighting up seeing these memorabilia. This way we know exactly where to treat to ensure complete erasure.”

Taekwoon feels like throwing up at the mention of _complete erasure_ , his spine recoiling and heart sinking as he thinks of how Jaehwan doesn’t have _a single memory_ of him...of both of them together. 

Dr. Cha continues, “This usually takes a couple of hours, so that appointment will be longer than the initial consultation. Once we’re done, we will schedule the procedure time and date. After the procedure is over, we will dispose of the memorabilia.”

Taekwoon rubs his eyes, nodding as he asks “When can I come in for that second appointment?”

The doctor chuckles, placing a tape inside a tape recorder as he says “Wait a minute Mr. Jung. We need to keep some form of verbal confirmation and records for your file.” He presses record as he starts off, “Jung Taekwoon, who are you considering erasing from your memories.” 

Slouching over, Taekwoon runs a hand over his hair, scowling back up at the doctor as he says, “You know who I want to forget?”

“I know, but it is procedural to confirm this at the start of the tape.” 

Licking his lips, Taekwoon admits “Jaehwan. Lee Jaehwan.” 

Dr. Cha nods, following up with “Tell us a little about Jaehwan.” 

Taekwoon lets out a mocking chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief, “Is that really necessary?”

He hears the doctor sigh, “This is a permanent process, Taekwoon; once it is performed, it’s done. That’s why I ask each of my patients to talk about the person they’re trying to forget, see how they feel after they’re done talking. I’ve had plenty of consultations ending with people deciding that they do not want to forget that person.”

 _Sounds like an awful business strategy_ , Taekwoon thinks but doesn’t say out loud.

“I urge everyone during their initial consultation to take a few days, maybe even weeks or months and _really_ think about this. Do you actually want to forget this person?” Dr. Cha continues, looking Taekwoon in the eye with seriousness. “I’m not here to take advantage of anyone coming through, impulsively deciding to erase someone’s memories. I want to help people, but only when I know they have made this decision with a sound mind.”

Taekwoon licks his lip, thinking about how Jaehwan and his argument had been less than two weeks ago. He nearly scoffs as he thinks about Hakyeon’s claim, thinking about how impulsive Jaehwan’s decision must’ve been. “How long?” he asks.

“As long as you need.” Dr. Cha responds. 

The taller male shakes his head, “No, how long did it take for Jaehwan to decide?”

Dr. Cha stares at him blankly. 

Taekwoon taps his foot, chewing on the inside of his bottom lip. “Please?” he desperately asks.

Letting out a sigh, Dr. Cha admits, “He, uh...he came to the consultation...with the box of possessions.”

* * *

_Last night_

Taekwoon stares at the two white pills in the palm of his hand, opting to take them without giving them a second thought, drinking some water to wash the pills down. He lies down in his bed, pulling the blanket up to his chest and blinks,trying not to think about what is going to happen tonight, avoiding the pangs in his heart. As a prickle of a tear forms in his eyes, he finds himself laughing loudly, nearly shouting, _“What are you making me do Lee Jaehwan?!”_ fully aware that no one is going to respond to him. He continues staring at the ceiling, focusing on the corner where the paint has chipped a little as his vision gets more blurry.

* * *

“For crying out loud Taekwoon! I don’t understand what your problem is.” Jaehwan shouts at Taekwoon, storming over to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of whiskey. “It was just two days.”

“Yeah, you don’t answer any of my calls or messages for two days straight but you have no problem hanging all over fucking Kim Wonshik at some sleazy bar.” Taekwoon shouts back, gritting his teeth, attempting to hold all of his venom back.

Jaehwan snaps his head towards Taekwoon, his dark brown fringes bouncing as he does, appearing taken aback as he splutters, “ _'_ _All over?’_ What the fuck do you mean by that?! I was not _all over_ Wonshik-”

“Well you were at a bar with him, getting drunk while ignoring your boyfriend for two fucking days!” Taekwoon cuts him off. 

Jaehwan scoffs, shaking his head “I was literally there with my other friends Taekwoon!” he shouts back, finishing the rest of his drink in one go, slamming the glass down. “I’m sorry but my life doesn’t just revolve around you.”

“I know it doesn’t! That still doesn’t excus-”

“What? That I didn’t call you? You’re not my fucking keeper! I’m my own person! I didn’t talk to you because I didn’t feel like talking to you! I'm sorry that I didn't want to feel like shit about myself _for two fucking days_ , okay?! Shit, I’m also sorry 'cause I didn’t think you’d lose your fucking mind!”

“See that’s your fucking problem Jaehwan, you never fucking think!” Taekwoon shouts, fuming so much that he doesn’t realize how dark the room is becoming around them. “You say whatever the fuck you want, you do whatever the fuck you want, with no thought of how you might affect someone else! You think you’re a ‘free-spirit’ but really you’re just childish and selfish, with no thoughts about anyone else but yourself!”

Jaehwan flinches at his words, pressing his lips together as he stares at the older male, brown eyes glimmering. Taekwoon’s chest is still heaving as he catches his breath, glaring at the shorter male. He feels a pang of guilt in his chest fill up his chest as darkness continues to surround them. Jaehwan exhales, walking past Taekwoon, over to the apartment’s door.

He glances back to stare at Taekwoon one more time, his sad eyes looking away as he mutters “Goodbye Taekwoon.” before closing the door shut behind him, the rest of the room crumbling as he leaves.

* * *

“You should quit doing that.” Taekwoon remarks, eyes still immersed in his book. 

Jaehwan groans, moving his finger away from his teeth as he mumbles “Sorry mom.” 

Taekwoon chuckles, glancing towards the younger male to find the other glaring at the television screen. He sets his book aside and pulls the other over towards him, placing Jaehwan’s head on his shoulder, cradling his fingers through the brown locks. Jaehwan hums, eyes still glued to the tv as Taekwoon plays with his hands.

The older male clicks his tongue as he remarks, “You never listen and now look at all these scabs. That’s why I tell you to stop biting them.” 

Jaehwan snatches his hand away, scowling up at Taekwoon as he mutters “Well my cuticles were really bothering me.” 

Taekwoon shakes his head, huggin Jaehwan tightly “Well that’s why we use nail cutters.” 

Without saying another word, Jaehwan moves his head off of Taekwoon’s shoulder, turning the tv off with the remote. “Then don’t look at my fingers if they annoy you that much.” he mumbles, pushing the blanket aside to get up. 

The older male gapes at Jaehwan, sighing, “Jae, come on. You know I didn’t mean anything by it.” he calls out as Jaehwan walks over to where his pants are. “You don’t need to go home, just stay the night.” 

Jaehwan pulls his sweatshirt over his head when the light next to the bed fades out. The younger male turns to Taekwoon with a glare, stating “I don’t want to stay the night.”

Taekwoon rolls his eyes, getting up as he grits “Why are you always so _fucking_ overdramatic?” 

Letting out a bitter laugh, Jaehwan snaps his head towards Taekwoon, “Because that’s how I fucking am! Guess you that’s two things you don’t like about me, huh? How ‘ _fucking overdramatic’_ I am and my goddamn, fucking cuticles!” Jaehwan shouts, turning the doorknob and storming out into the hallway, slamming the door close behind him.

“Jaehwan! Wait-” Taekwoon angrily yells, pulling the door open to find a dark, empty hallway.

* * *

“Jaehwan! What happened?!” Taekwoon shouts with no real malice in his tone as he takes in the state of the bathroom, soap suds seeping out from the tub and falling onto the bathroom tiles. 

The younger male slicks back his golden brown hair away from his forehead, pouting as he responds “I dropped the entire container in by mistake.” He pushes past the immense soap suds to get closer to Taekwoon.

Taekwoon sighs, shaking his head as his tiptoes closer to the tub. “You should really start investing in bath bombs. You’re a 26 year old man, why are you still using children’s bubble baths?” he asks in amusement. 

Jaehwan whines “Because the bombs don’t make it as bubbly and I like how the bubble baths make me smell.” 

“They make you smell like a baby.” Taekwoon deadpans, holding back a smile. 

“I _am_ baby!” Jaehwan petulantly whines back, making grabby hands at the older male with a pout. “Come take a bath with me, _pleeeeasssse?_ ”

One of the wall’s of the bathroom collapses, hinting to Taekwoon that this memory is fading quickly. He glances back at the tub to find the other fluttering his eyelashes coquettishly, puffing up his cheeks when that fails to draw Taekwoon in. Jaehwan reaches out to take a hold of Taekwoon’s wrist, whining, “Come onnnnn!! Just for ten minutes!” he reasons. 

Taekwoon glances up to find the light fixture above the sink falling down, sighing because he knows he doesn’t have those ten minutes. He glances down at the pouting Jaehwan once more and grins, “Okay, just ten minutes.”

* * *

“Taekwoon?” Jaehwan mutters, his chin resting lightly on the crown of Taekwoon’s head.

The older male hum’s against Jaehwan’s chest, lips moving up to place a kiss against the collar bone, “Yes?” he mumbles against the skin. 

Jaehwan sighs, his fingers cradling through Taekwoon’s hair as he brings up “Remember when you told me I look pretty no matter what hair color...did you mean it?”

Scrunching his eyebrows in confusion, Taekwoon moves up. He pushes away the copper-colored fringes, locking his eyes with Jaehwan’s sad ones. “Of course I did, Jae.” Placing a peck on Jaehwan’s pouty lips he asks “You look gorgeous no matter what.”

The redhead averts his eyes, letting out a forced laugh as he gnaws at his bottom lip, mumbling, “I don’t know about that.” 

Taekwoon pulls Jaehwan’s face back to look at him, the younger male’s eyes looking glossier than usual. “I mean it Jaehwan.” he says. “There’s not a single thing that I don’t like about you.”

Jaehwan exhales, moving closer and wrapping his arm around the taller male under the sheets covering the older male’s back. “Not even my big nose and big mouth.” 

“I _especially_ love your big nose and big mouth.” Taekwoon whispers back with a smile, placing a wet kiss on the corner of the other’s mouth, purposefully digging his cheek against Jaehwan’s nose.

Jaehwan snorts, pushing at Taekwoon’s shoulder playfully then sighing. “You’ll like it until I start babbling nonsense, stuff that doesn’t make sense.” 

Taekwoon shakes his head, pushing Jaehwan down against the bed and hovering over him. He moves forward to kiss Jaehwan deeply, placing a leg in between the redhead’s thighs, murmuring against parted lips “I always love what you have to say.” 

Shaking his head, Jaehwan pulls away, looking off to the side as he bites his lower lip. “Oh Taekwoon,” he sighs, hoping the other doesn’t notice his lips trembling, “you’re way too sweet.” he mutters. 

The brunet cards his fingers through Jaehwan’s hair, pressing himself against the younger male, lips brushing against his temple, “I mean it.” He pushes down against Jaehwan, taking in the other’s sigh as their softened cocks touch. “I love you Jaehwan.” he mutters against the soft skin, “I love you.” he says, moving down to peck on a beauty mark.

Jaehwan shudders against Taekwoon’s hold, turning to face him with lidded eyes “Say it that again.” he whispers, pushing up into Taekwoon’s hold. 

Taekwoon continues grazing his fingertips against the younger male’s scalp, his other hand reaching down to wrap around both of their cocks. Jaehwan whimpers, hissing as he tilts his head back. Taekwoon attaches his lips to the redhead’s pulsepoint, searing onto the skin, “I love you.” He lazily strokes them, hips pushing against the shorter males.

Jaehwan gasps, his fingers gripping at Taekwoon’s dark locks “S-say, say it again, _please_.” he begs.

The older male moves up to suck kisses against Jaehwan’s chin, feeling the sheets come up with him, covering both of them with it. He presses open-mouthed kisses on the corner of Jaehwan’s face, gasping out “I love you, I love you.” Taekwoon looks down to find Jaehwan’s eyes scrunched shut, parted lips moaning, highlighted by a dimly orange light. 

_“I love you Taekwoon,”_ he whimpers _“Please don’t let go,”_ he begs, staring up at Taekwoon with lidded eyes, _“Please don’t let go."_

Taekwoon pants against the younger male, aware that he probably doesn’t have much time, that soon this memory will also be erased. "I won't go." he lies through parted lips, placing kisses all over Jaehwan's face, "I won't leave." He continues stroking their cocks, chasing after their high as he takes in all of the noises his lover is making. Taekwoon trembles as he begs _“Please, please let me keep this one.”_ gasping against Jaehwan’s wet cheek. 

Jaehwan’s nails dig into his shoulder as he calls out Taekwoon’s name, repeating _I love you_ and _don’t let go_ over and over. Taekwoon chokes on a sob as he desperately yells _“Just one! Please let me keep just one! Just this memory!”_ He knows it’s futile, his request falling to deaf ears, but he still cries out _“I don’t want to lose this one!”_

He finds himself alone under the sheets, completely covering him as he searches for Jaehwan in a craze, heaving as tears fall down his face.

* * *

Jaehwan finishes licking the last of his frozen yogurt, letting out a pleased exhale before coughing. Taekwoon scoffs next to him and he throws away his own empty container. “Your knack for frozen yogurt on cold days is gonna lead to pneumonia one of these days.” he nags at the blond. 

The shorter male crinkles his nose, rubbing at it with the back of his gloved hand and he scoffs back at Taekwoon. “Well I don’t hear you complaining every time we come out to grab some.” He tosses his empty container in the trash and grabs Taekwoon’s hand, pulling the older male forward. “Come on!” he shouts. 

“What are you doing?” Taekwoon manages to ask through his chuckle. Jaehwan pulls them forward towards the frozen river, stopping a few feet from the edge. “Jaehwan, we’re gonna end up on the morning news as ‘ _two idiots die after falling into a frozen river!’_ ” he implores, watching the blond ignore his words, opting to sit down on the ice. 

Jaehwan trills his lips, pulling Taekwoon down, “Oh relax! The ice is clear, so it’s plenty safe!” He pulls his hood out and lies down on top of it, glancing up at Taekwoon from his place with round, brown eyes, insisting “I googled it.” 

Taekwoon feels his heart swell up as he chuckles, moving down to place a deep kiss on the other’s plush lips, turning to lie down right next to him. They lie side-by-side, staring up at the glimmering sky lit up by starlight. He feels Jaehwan’s fingers reach out for his, nails grazing along Taekwoon’s skin until the older male links their hands. Jaehwan lets out a content sigh, tilting his head until a mop of blond hair is resting on Taekwoon’s shoulder. 

“I could spend the rest of eternity like this.” he whispers to the older male wistfully. The comment makes Taekwoon chuckle, tightening his hold on the other’s hand as he turns peck at the younger male’s forehead, lips lingering a second extra as he sighs. “How come it’s taking so long for you to forget me?”

The taller male chuckles, responding “I don’t know. Perhaps my heart is still remembering you.”

Jaehwan hums, “Mmm, I don’t know about that.” causing Taekwoon to bust out laughing. The younger male blinks up at Taekwoon as he asks “Won’t you be sad when you forget me?” 

Taekwoon bitterly smiles, brushing the blond’s fringes as he says “I guess I won’t remember to be sad.” His hand moves down to cup Jaehwan’s cheek, the younger male leaning into the cheek, eyes peering into Taekwoon’s gaze. 

He reaches up to hold Taekwoon’s hand as he whispers “But do you still _want to_ forget me?” 

The street lights turn off one by one, the space around them turning black as a spotlight focuses solely on Jaehwan, highlighting his face. Taekwoon lets out a shaky breath as tears form in his eyes “No, no I don’t.” he whispers. Jaehwan’s cheek moves away from under his hand and in a sudden motion the younger male is pulled away from him by some unseen force, Jaehwan’s wide eyes staring back at Taekwoon. 

  
Taekwoon blinks up at the sky, sitting up in alarm to find himself lying on the ground of some park, strangers walking around him. He frantically looks around, hoping to find Jaehwan, his surroundings shifting between the crowded park and the empty frozen river. “I don’t want this anymore! I don’t want to forget him anymore!” he shouts, looking up towards the starlit sky, screaming up into the void. “Can you guys hear me?!” he screams at the top of his lungs. “I don’t want this anymore!” his shoulders shake as he sobs, staring down at the frozen river in defeat, whispering to himself, _“I don’t want to forget him."_

* * *

Jaehwan glances up from his computer screen, blinking through his pink fringes as a wide grin breaks out across his face. “Hey, it’s you!” he exclaims. “Taekwoon, right? From the beach?”

Taekwoon dumbly nods, heart melting from the childlike excitement in Jaehwan’s eyes. “Y-yes. Hi Jaehwan.” he responds.

The pink-haired pushes the keyboard away a little bit, resting his forearms in front of the computer desk as he grins at Taekwoon. “Boy, I was wondering if I’d even see you again. I thought I must’ve scared you away that day...or maybe my green hair was a little too obnoxious.” he laughs.

Taekwoon can’t help but chuckle at that statement, shaking his head, “No I thought your hair was cool...it was pretty.” he says 

Jaehwan flutters his eyelashes at that comment, turning side to side and pointing out his new hair color, “Darn. And I just went ahead and changed it to pink.” his faux pout breaks into a coy grin as he adds “I would’ve kept it green if I knew you liked it, but you left without saying goodbye the other day.” a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Taekwoon gulps, feeling his chest grow heavy as replies, “I know...I’m sorry.” 

The younger male shakes his head, shrugging as he forces out a smile, one of his fake smiles. “Ah it’s whatever. I am glad to see you here today!” he says.

Placing his forearms on top of the information desk, Taekwoon leans in as he says “Well...for what it’s worth, I think you’d look good in any color...pretty in any shade.” He’s not sure what exactly came over him at the time, surprised he was able to string these words together. 

Jaehwan gawks at those words, mouth opening and closing at the statement as if he’s surprised to hear them. He averts his eyes for a second, the apples of his cheeks becoming a pale pink. Clearing his throat with a chuckle he glances back up at Taekwoon, grinning from ear to ear. “Well, that’s nice to hear.” he says. Jaehwan glances around the bookstore and licks his lips before turning back to Taekwoon, “Say, do you like frozen yogurt?”

* * *

Taekwoon’s standing at the beaches of Montauk, expressionless as he blinks off into the sea. He knows what day this is, acutely aware of what memory he’s in: it’s the day he met Jaehwan for the first time. Taekwoon can hear his friends clamoring at the beach, flying some kind of electric plane. He sticks his hands in the pockets of his black coat as a breeze glides through his dark hair. The wind must have pushed the airplane of course as well because the next thing Taekwoon hears is panicked laughter and shouting coming from the direction of his friends.

He glances over towards them to find them huddled around the controller as they try to salvage the plane, when he hears from his right, “Are you here with them?”

Taekwoon snaps his head at the voice to find Jaehwan smiling at him, a mop of wispy mint-green hair on his head. The younger male has an oversized orange puffer jacket on, his hands tucked into the pockets as he bounces on his feet. Nodding his head, Taekwoon shyly smiles at the other. “Yeah, yeah I am.” he responds.

Jaehwan nods back in return, “Oh that’s cool.” He shoots a quick glance towards his friends then looking back at him with a teasing grin. “I’m guessing you’re not a big fan of flying planes at the bitch.” 

Taekwoon scoffs, shaking his head with a smile. “No, especially not on a chilly day at the beach.” He looks up to find Jaehwan staring at him with a smile, waiting for Taekwoon to continue speaking. He becomes mum because at the time he couldn’t think of what to say, internally berating himself for being so bad with small-talk, unable to think of topics he could converse with well into their relationship. And Jaehwan, sweet, patient Jaehwan always waits for him, gives him all the time he needs, fills in the void from Taekwoon’s lack of words. After a few seconds, Taekwoon finally adds “I, uh, I actually didn’t want to come down here today. Um, one of those guys is my brother-in-law and he and my sister forced me to come out with them.

He looks up to find Jaehwan forming an ‘o’ with his lips, as if understanding where Taekwoon is coming from. With a giggle Jaehwan responds, “Well I’m not actually supposed to be here today.” He bites his lower lip and glances up at Taekwoon, “I had a shift at the bookstore but I called off because I was _sick_.” he says in between a fake cough, smiling back up at Taekwoon. 

Taekwoon scoffs at the revelation, finding the scene endearing. He licks his lips as he knows what he’s about to ask next “You work at a bookstore?” 

Jaehwan nods enthusiastically, beaming at Taekwoon with a toothy grin. “Yes!” he exclaims, “I work at the bookstore on Clemont’s Street he smiles. “It’s a good forty minutes from here...well I guess a little over an hour, ha!” he babbles. “The beach is technically forty minutes from my train station and the bookstore is the other way.” he grins at Taekwoon. 

The older male bites back an amused grin, thinking about how Jaehwan would later on tell him that he rambles when he got nervous, always slightly insecure that his words weren’t enough when he was trying to impress a person he found interesting. 

Another gust of wind musses up Jaehwan’s hair, causing the shorter male to let out an undignified squawk. He holds his mint-colored hair up, blinking up at Taekwoon with a shy smile. Taekwoon smiles back. The younger male chuckles as he says “So I found this beach house over there,” motioning towards his back. “I think the owners live somewhere else and the house is left unlocked. Since you’re not really having much fun out here...why don’t you come check it out with me?”

Taekwoon’s glances over Jaehwan’s shoulder to where the beach house should be, looking back and honing in on the other’s shivering lips. He feels his heart pushing up against his chest as he nods, “Sure.”

* * *

“Some people can’t even afford their normal houses and then we have rich folks with a second summer home.” Jaehwan muses, shaking his head as his fingertips brush against a piano in the living room. He tsks, turning back to Taekwoon with a laugh, “Their second home is fancier than the one I rent.” The wall behind Jaehwan suddenly collapses, the younger male giving it an unfazed look before turning back towards Taekwoon. “That was weird.” 

Taekwoon moves in closer to find sand covering the hardwood floor. The entire house is slowly falling apart as Jaehwan walks up to a liquor cabinet, humming as he eyes the selections. He watches the younger male’s skim through the shelves, lower lip pulled between his teeth, light fringes covering his lids. Something tells him that this is his last memory of Jaehwan, and if the scene crumbling around them tells him anything, it is that it’s being erased quickly.

Jaehwan examines the label of the liquor bottle as the cupboard collapses in front of him, pursing his lips out to blow a whistle as he loudly mutters “Top-shelf.” Turning to Taekwoon, he flashes a mischievous smirk, “Come on, let’s go check out the upstairs bedrooms.” 

Shaking his head, Taekwoon shrugs, “Uh, I don’t know Jaehwan… I think I’m going to leave.” 

The younger male leans against a deteriorating wall, raising an eyebrow as he asks, “Oh?” He clicks his tongue and shrugs, striding towards the wobbling stairs. Jaehwan runs up the stairs, yelling back energetically “Then leave if you want. I’ll be upstairs!” 

Taekwoon watches miserably until the mop of Jaehwan’s minty hair is no longer visible, knowing very well this is where he turned around to leave. He glances down to find sand half-way up his shins as this memory is slowly being erased, sighing as he plans to turn around. Pushing through the sand he reaches the entry-way, the door having already broken off. 

“Are you really about to leave?” he hears Jaehwan asking somewhere behind him.

With a defeated sigh, Taekwoon turns around, swallowing the lump in his throat as he yells back “Yeah. This is when I leave.” 

Jaehwan is standing at the top of the stairway, hip leaning against the railing, the liquor bottle still in his hand. The wall behind the younger male completely collapses and falls backwards, but Jaehwan doesn’t even blink an eye. He pouts as he says “Why didn’t you stay that night?”

Taekwoon shakes his head stammering, “I-i...I don’t know.” He runs a hand through his fringes, groaning as he continues “It’s like...the way you said to just leave, like disdain in your voice. It felt like you realized how much of a loser I am or-or how boring I must be.” 

“So it’s my fault you left?” Jaehwan asks plainly, no hint of accusation in his voice.

“N-no, no that’s not-” Taekwoon slouches, licking his lips before glancing back up to Jaehwan. “It’s not your fault...I left all on my accord.” He scoffs at himself, shaking his head “I should have stayed, I _wanted_ to stay...but I didn’t.” Taekwoon takes one last look at Jaehwan, biting the cuticles of his thumb at the top of the stairs, a habit Taekwoon often nagged at the younger for during the course of their relationship. He smiles yearningly as he turns around to leave.

“You didn’t even say goodbye.” Jaehwan shouts out.

Taekwoon freezes in his spot, turning to respond, “Because that’s not what I did...I didn’t say goodbye, I just left.” 

Jaehwan starts making his way down the stairs, throwing the liquor bottle behind him as the stairs break in, pushing through the now knee length sand as he says “So? Say goodbye this time.” He’s right in front of Taekwoon now, looking into his eyes with a challenging glare. “Do it differently this time.”

The older male blinks at Jaehwan, shaking his head “B-but that’s not how it’s supposed to be.” 

Jaehwan smiles longingly, leaning forward to place a chaste kiss on the older male’s cheek. His mint-green strands tickle Taekwoon’s nose as he moves over to place a peck on the opposing side. The younger male pulls aways with brown glimmering eyes, biting his bottom lip as he asks, “Say goodbye to me?”

Taekwoon pushes forwards to connect their lips in a soft kiss, pulling back slightly as he holds back unshed tears, whispering against his lips, “Goodbye Jaehwan.” He peers into those brown eyes he wishes he could miss, his nose brushing against that sharp nose he knows he’ll forget, mouth pulling away from those lips he craves to cherish for eternity. “I love you.” he whispers one last time.

The ceiling of the beach house has started to break off and fall around them. Jaehwan gives Taekwoon a serene smile, moving close to his ear as he whispers _“Meet me at Montauk.”_

Darkness.

* * *

_Today_

Jaehwan runs towards the waves, hopping as his feet touch the cold water, yelling as he runs back, holding onto his shoes. He glances over and shouts “Taekwoon! Come on!” as he bounces on his feet, the breeze tousling his messy blond strands.

Taekwoon smiles brightly at the shorter male, taking off the sock he still has on and tucking it into his shoes. They’ve been at the beach for maybe a half hour now, walking along the shorelines, talking about random things, well mostly Jaehwan talking and Taekwoon nodding. He secures his beanie once more and tucks his hands into his coat pocket before running towards the eccentric blond. Stopping right in front of the water, he takes a moment to admire the view, taking in the serenity of being the two people on the beach. A few seagulls squawk in the distance and the gentle ambience of the waves mixes in well with the wind. He glances up at the rather gray sky, squinting as he looks for the sun. 

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Jaehwan asks next to him, sporting a toothy grin. Taekwoon responds wordlessly with a skeptical glance towards the water. “Come on, we’ll just get our feet wet a little! It’s not that cold.” the blond insists. He’s chuckling as he takes a hand out of his puffer jacket’s pocket, reaching out for Taekwoon. “We can run out together.” 

Taekwoon stares at the welcoming extending hand, hesitantly taking it into his own. His eyes briefly stop at the scabs adjacent to the nails, brushing over it unwittingly, freezing once he realizes what he’s doing. He peeks up at the blond to find the other male gaping at him in surprise, closing his mouth before nervously chuckling, “Uh...annoying cuticles. I have a bad habit of biting them, especially if I’m nervous or anxious about something.” He licks his lips before adding “I know you’re probably thinking ‘this guy must be nervous all the time,’ ha! I should just use a nail cutter or something but like I said, it’s a bad habit, you know, like rambling near people I want to maybe be friends with.” he adds, averting his eyes, weakly pulling on his hand. 

It’s only then does Taekwoon realize he’s been holding onto the blond’s hand. He gives a reassuring squeeze as he says, “That’s okay,” causing Jaehwan to snap his head towards Taekwoon. “I think it’s endearing.” The taller man smiles. 

Jaehwan blinks, face breaking into a grin of his own as he looks towards the sea. Looking back at Taekwoon and asking “Well, what are we waiting for?” He runs towards the rushing water, pulling a laughing Taekwoon along with him, both men yelping when the freezing water touches their feet before running back towards the dryer, albeit still moist, sand. Taekwoon finds himself giggling as he looks up to find Jaehwan bouncing on his feet, plush lips pursed as he dramatically shivers. “So cold!” he whines, squealing when one of his shoes falls from his grip. 

Taekwoon finds himself doubling over with a boisterous laughter at the antics, following to his knees as he does, uncaring about the sand sticking to his coat and pants. He sees the blond puffing his cheeks up in mock offense, the expression easily transitioning into a pleased grin. The brunet pushes his hat back a little, too glance up at the other, his laughter slowly dying down until a shy smile is left in its place. He looks around the empty beach and glances back towards Jaehwan, “Hey, uh…” he starts off as he moves up to his feet, wiping the sand off of his clothes, “did you maybe want to get out of here? Go someplace and warm up maybe?” He asks with a shrug. 

The blond tilts his head at Taekwoon, a pondering expression on his face. “Huh,” he starts off. Taekwoon finds himself getting anxious, wondering if maybe asking out a stranger he met on a train and hung out with for less than an hour at the beach isn’t a good idea… especially considering he didn’t have much to add to their conversation… perhaps coming off very dull. He half expects Jaehwan to scoff, maybe even flip him off, run away _and_ even take Taekwoon’s shoes with him, for even _asking_. 

But Jaehwan doesn’t do that. The shorter male bites the corner of his bottom lip, holding back a smile as he confirms, “are you asking me out on a Valentine’s date?” Taekwoon’s eyes widen, stammering in panic because he had completely forgotten it was Valentine’s Day. Jaehwan chortles, slapping Taekwoon on the shoulder, “Don’t worry man, I don’t think it’s weird, if that’s why you’re freaking out.” 

Taekwoon exhales the breath he didn’t realize he was holding in, nodding, “I guess that’s obvious.” he nervously adds. 

Jaehwan laughs, still biting his lower lip as he asks “How do you feel about frozen yogurt?”

The taller male blinks smiling “I-i feel okay about frozen yogurt?” Jaehwan raises a confused eyebrow to which Taekwoon shakes his head, “No, I mean, I don’t mind frozen yogurt. I wouldn’t mind getting some.” he moves closer to Jaehwan, pausing to gather his words and starting once more “I’m sorry, what I meant was I’d love to get some with you.”

Jaehwan throws his head back and laughs, his neck prettily displayed as his blond fringes dance in the wind, his eyes crinkling in the corners, pink, parted lips in a grin taking up the entire bottom of his face. Taekwoon finds his heart skipping a beat, stunned in his place when the blond glances back at him, “No need to apologize! I knew what you meant.” He shakes his head, still giggling as he dusts off his feet, eyes scanning for somewhere to sit down. “Why don’t we get our shoes on and hop back on the train? I know a good froyo place near the Charles river; it’ll be on our way back.” 

Taekwoon closes his mouth, not realizing he had it open this whole time. He chuckles in affirmation, as he picks up his own shoes. He looks up at Jaehwan sporting an expectant grin, pushing away his messy fringes as the wind moves it, round brown eyes shining in anticipation. He takes in the image in front of him, knowing it’s one he’ll never forget. Taekwoon smiles as he responds “Sounds like a plan to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired by _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind._ I hope the plot or format wasn't too hard to follow/inconsistent. Also, I'm not a native New Yorker lol I tried to stay true to where things took place in the movie, but even that I'm not 100% sure if the travel time and other things makes sense. I also don't know what Taekwoon's sister & brother last names would technically be lol so I used Park? Thank you for reading! :)


	2. Mark Me in Black Ink (KenVi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Wonshik/Jaehwan (KenVi/RaKen)  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: "I'm ready to get hurt"  
> Warning: hinted tattoo-kink; uh... hinted foot/ankle-fetish mentioned (no real smut)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wonshik gives Jaehwan an ankle tattoo
> 
> (Because an ankle tattoo would be really fuckin pretty on him)

Wonshik takes a slow drag of his cigarette, his attention focused on the template in his hand. He raises an amused eyebrow, humming as he quickly scans the design once more, stubbing the rest of his cigarette in the ashtray without even looking. Setting the paper down, he glances towards the customer’s chair. 

The blond currently occupying the seat is chewing on his bottom lip, eyes staring down at his feet as he lazily wiggles his toes. It looks like his mind is miles away, far from this dimly-lit room with brick walls decorated with art inspired by grunge, metal, and a hint of the macabre. The man looks out of place, his blond hair glimmering below the studio lights, his pink sweater contradicting the color scheme of the room, his boyish expressions looking a tad too naive for the overall atmosphere. 

As if sensing the attention, the blond looks up at Wonshik, blinking owlishly. Wonshik holds back the overwhelming need to coo. 

He grabs his tattoo gun and stencil, rolling his chair over to the blond. “Having second thoughts?” he asks the customer cooly. 

The customer, Lee Jaehwan as he had introduced himself, shakes his head, gaze still set on his feet. “Nope. No second thoughts.” he quietly responds, scrunching his eyebrows in determination before glancing up at Wonshik. “Let’s do this.”

It’s absolutely _adorable_ and had Wonshik not been the professional he is, he would’ve melted in his seat to a pile of goo. But he doesn’t, because he’s renowned tattoo artist Ravi, with waiting lists running between four to six months. He’s good at what he does, becoming a sought-after artist in his twenties. He pushes away the little somersaults his stomach is doing, moving closer to the other man’s feet. 

“Alright.” the tattoo artist says, placing a gentle hand over the disinfected right ankle, feeling a jolt of electricity run through his fingers at the first touch against the soft skin. He pretends he doesn’t notice Jaehwan’s sharp intake of breath as he pulls the instrument tray close to him, placing the tattoo gun down. Wonshik grabs a generous helping of petroleum jelly, moving back to lightly lather the smooth ankle as tenderly as he can. His eyes roam over the protruding bone, glancing down to the curled toes, feeling a rush of anticipation through his body. 

A tingle of desire courses through his blood, having the urge to grip around Jaehwan’s ankle, maybe move down and caress the _smooth_ expanse of the blond’s foot. As he smoothens the jelly over the customer’s ankle, he gets a nagging thought of moving his hand up and giving Jaehwan’s well-defined leg a squeeze. He swallows the lump in his throat, pushing back these cravings and tries to remain professional. Wonshik doesn’t usually entertain these thoughts, but there’s something about this client that just sets those wild thoughts off. Perhaps hearing the responsive light gasps is also doing things to him. “Try relaxing your feet a little.” he mutters reassuringly, having been used to anxious, first-timers.

“Oh, sorry.” the blond peeps, his cheeks turning a shade of blush pink from embarrassment.

Wonshik lets himself grin for a quick second, pressing his lips together as he gives Jaehwan a brief, knowing smirk. “Nervous?”

The customer laughs breathlessly, “Is it obvious?” Wonshik lets out a low chuckle wiping his hand with a wet wipe before reaching for a pair of disposable gloves. “A little bit. But I...I’ve wanted this for a while,” he motions towards the stencil with his eyebrows, “working on that drawing for forever, until it was just right...just how I envisioned it.” 

Wonshik narrows his eyes as he hovers over the ankle with the stencil, aiming to place it _right_ where Jaehwan had described it. He conversationally asks “Oh? You designed it yourself?” as he focuses on the task in hand.

“Yes,” the blond responds, biting his bottom lip. He watches Wonshik as the tattoo artist gently places the stencil over the moistened area, pressing on the paper with intentional pressure. Jaehwan licks his lips as he says “I-it’s probably really silly and tame compared to all the other designs you do.” nervously chuckling, feeling a little self-conscious. 

The tattooed man laughs, shaking his head. He glances up at Jaehwan with a comforting smile as he responds, “I never judge what a person wants me to place on them; I do my best to ink it just how they pictured it. Getting a tattoo is a badass move, regardless of what the design is.” 

Jaehwan blinks at the artist, lips slightly parted in awe. He closes his mouth into a shy smile, opting to look down at his hands, neatly folding on top of his lap as he brushes the tips of his thumbs against one another. 

Once the stencil is removed, Wonshik calls out for Jaehwan’s attention. “How’s the placement? Is this what you’d like?”

The blond peers down to glance at his ankle, rotating it slowly once the tattoo artist moves back a little. He gnaws on his lower lips as he contemplates how the faint design looks, feeling excitement by the tracing alone. He grins widely, nodding his head as he places his leg back down. “It’s perfect.” 

Wonshik smiles after hearing that. He grabs the tattoo gun he previously filled with ink. Turning towards Jaehwan, he asks with the tattoo gun ready in his hand. “Now are you sure you wanna do this? Because it’s gonna hurt, especially at this site.” 

Jaehwan sits up, pressing his lips together as he gives a determined nod, “I’m ready to get hurt.” 

Wonshik _can’t_ hold back his amused snort, shutting his mouth as he chuckles, murmuring _cute._ From the corner of his eyes he sees Jaehwan moving his head down, the blond’s cheek no doubt dusted in pink. Shaking his head, his eyes zoom into the ankle, fingertips ghosting around the stencil. He sees a slight shiver running down Jaehwan’s leg, as he mutters calmly to the other “Relax as much as you can and breath.” lightly placing his left hand around the firm calf as he rubs some more petroleum jelly over the trace. He can’t help smirking when he hears Jaehwan’s breath hitch, mentally ridiculing himself into behaving. He continues in a placating tone “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.” 

The artist waits to hear the blond exhale, peeping out an “Okay.” in a soft voice. He nods as he moves in with the needle. 

Nearly an hour and a half passes by as Wonshik continues to work on the tattoo, the only constant noise being of the tattoo gun and whatever rock song is providing ambience over the entire studio. Occasionally Jaehwan lets out a hiss, yelp, or small whimper. “You okay?” Wonshik inquires, glancing up for just a second before refocusing on the needle.

Jaehwan is covering his eyes with the back of his hand as he grits his teeth and breathes through his nose. He nods, licking his lips before replying “Y-yeah, I’m okay.” as he holds back the scream in the back of his throat and tries to relax his leg as much as he can. He tries not to focus on the artist’s breath ghosting over his skin here and there, biting his lips to hold back his whimpers.

Another twenty minutes passes by before Wonshik finally pulls the instrument away, shutting it down, then placing it on the tray. He looks down on the finished product with a grin, feeling rather proud of his work. Jaehwan moves his hand away, peeking down towards his ankle “Is it done?” he asks, voice slightly strained from holding it back for so long. 

Wonshik smirks, more from pride than anything, as he looks up to meet the blond’s gaze. “Why don’t you take a look at it?”

Jaehwan hesitantly sits up, careful not to move his leg _just in case_ , glancing down. His eyes widen and jaw drops: there on his ankle is the inking of a sweet pea flower, petals and leaves gracefully itched, minute hues of color carefully present. It’s not _exactly_ like his sketch, no, it’s even better than he had envisioned it. 

“What do you think, Jaehwan? Do you like it?” Wonshik asks.

The blond doesn’t answer right away, gaze still glued to the tattoo on his ankle, enamored by the black ink surrounded by the slightly reddened skin. He lets out the breath he had been holding nodding as he glances up at a waiting Wonshik with doe eyes, “It’s perfect.” he whispers. “I-i love it.”

Wonshik smiles at the affirmation, taking in the look of adoration in the blond’s eyes. “I’m glad you do.” He looks down at his work, spine tingling from sight. Nodding he chuckles “Let’s get you cleaned up and bandaged.”

* * *

“Only touch the area with clean hands and use disinfectant soap over it.” Wonshik tells Jaehwan at the front desk. The customer enthusiastically nods as Wonshik hands him an ointment, emphasizing “Make sure to apply this and keep the area moist, okay? And try to avoid direct sunlight on the area, but try to let it breath.” he adds as he rings Jaehwan up. 

“Of course!” Jaehwan acknowledges, staring at Wonshik with wonder. “I feel like I can’t thank you enough: I never thought it would turn out so nice.”

Wonshik chuckles at the compliments, feeling the tips of his ear warm up for some reason. He’s heard plenty of phrases throughout his entire career, yet for some reason Jaehwan’s words are giving him jolts of serotonin. He smiles at the blond, responding “I’m always glad to have a satisfied customer.” Jaehwan shyly grins back, ducking his head to sign on the receipt, looking absolutely _lovely._ The artist feels a wave of bittersweetness, thinking about how much he wants to see the man again but how unprofessional it’d be to ask out _a client_ on a date. He technically has Jaehwan’s number from today’s appointment, but he feels slightly predatory for even thinking about it. 

He licks his lips as he decides to mention, “If you’re ever interested in getting another tattoo, feel free to come back...that is if you still like how this one turned out once you leave here.” he adds with a chuckle.

Jaehwan blinks at the tattoo artist before coyly smiling, glancing down on his ankle before looking back up. “Oh I doubt my opinion will change in a week.” he giggles, tilting his head as his lips naturally pucker out. “I’d love to come back, but I’m worried I won’t be able to snag another spot in your waiting list.” 

Wonshik shakes his, immediately responding “Oh, no. You don’t have to worry about that! I’ll make room for you.” He pulls himself back, realizing he sounded a little too enthusiastic right there. 

The blond parts his lips in amusement, smiling with an open mouth as he asks “You’d do that for me?”

“Of course I would.” Wonshik responds with a grin.

Jaehwan looks away as if he were examining the posters on the shop’s walls, unsuccessfully holding back a smirk. He clears his throat as he turns back to Wonshik, scrunching his eyebrows in mock-thought as he starts off “You know...I think it’s pretty unfair for you to skillfully work on this masterpiece but only see it all bloodied and red under the tattoo parlor’s lighting…” The artist raises an eyebrow with interest, imploring Jaehwan to go on. “It’s truly unfair if you don’t get to see it after it heals.” the blond mentions, sighing before suggesting “I mean...I think you should be able to see it again, you know? Under different lighting, somewhere besides here...if you want, of course-”

“I’d love to.” the tattoo artist cuts Jaehwan off, a wide grin forming on his face. “I want to see it, again.” Wonshik confirms.

The blond beams at the response, eyes crinkling at the ends as he does. “Well, good.” he nods, smiling as he says “because I’d like for you to see it again.” He glances down at the store’s appointment book before looking Wonshik in the eye with playfulness “It’s a good thing you already have my number, right?”

Wonshik smirks back as he agrees, “Yeah, it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tattoo inspo [one](https://i.redd.it/rdpzjf8u8yd21.jpg) and [two](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/a9/e5/57/a9e55714b3e5ffef1ca3a535a832f384.jpg). Sweet pea because that's his birth flower?


	3. Prettiest of Flowers (HyuKen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Sanghyuk/Jaehwan (HyuKen)  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: You put me in a cage  
> Warning: mentioned-abduction; objectification; mentions of Jaehwan being a fae with no actual descriptions of him being a fae.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by Jaehwan's flower box in the "Chained Up" MV

Jaehwan’s eyes blink against his light brown fringes as he tilts his head back on the bed of flowers. The lids close as he takes in the timid heat from the fluorescent light shining from above and below. He extends his legs out slightly, moving them forward then crossing his ankles, legs forming a diamond shaped opening. A familiar constraint around his neck causes him to twitch his nose, gritting his teeth as he resists the urge to claw at his neck. Sighing, his fingertips gingerly float over his inner thighs, shivering slightly he feels them through the thin black fabric covering his legs, stopping when they get to the knees, gently resting them there. 

He wills his mind to go away for a second, far from where he is, thinking about blooming flowers, wispy winds, smells of fruits and daffodils; home. The fae tilts his head from left to right as he envisions this, a smile gracing on his face as he imagines running his fingers through the fresh grass as he lays in it, basking in the precious summer sun, letting the wind sweep through his hair.

Distant footsteps break him out of his concentration, his plush lips immediately shifting into a frown. The sanctuary he had created in his head slowly disappears as the footsteps get louder, the presence of the other moving closer. But he doesn’t open his eyes. The footsteps cease and Jaehwan knows he’s standing right in front of him. He keeps his lids shut, focusing to keep his expressions and body relaxed, giving the illusion of serenity. _Maybe he’ll think I’m sleeping and leave._ It’s all in vain, really, and Jaehwan knows this too.

A few seconds pass and the footsteps pick up again, however instead of moving away from him, they move _around_ him; carefully and measured, indulging in every angle, savoring every feature. The fae wills away his desire to gulp, his wish to recoil into himself and make himself as small as possible. He hears the footsteps until they return to their original place, stopping right in front of Jaehwan, eyes no doubt trained directly on him. 

_“Love?”_ the man in front of him calls out softly. 

Jaehwan nearly scowls in disgust, feeling his right eyes twitch. He keeps his eyes shut. 

_“Sweetheart, are you asleep?”_ the man tries once more, the tenderness in his voice becoming slightly muted. 

The fae doesn’t budge, trying to move all of his energy into his core, keeping himself from giving a reaction, _any_ reaction. 

Another moment passes and Jaehwan remains quiet. The man lets out a sigh laced in agitation, clearly becoming impatient with the fae’s unresponsiveness. Jaehwan hears the man inhale slowly, holding in his breath for a _mere second_ before shouting _“Jaehwan!”_

Jaehwan flinches at that, eyes scrunching as his shoulders raise up reflexively and knees move in closer to his chest, his body hoping it would shield himself. His forearms are covering his eyes when he hears a deep chuckle, a nauseating feeling coursing through him. The fae slowly opens his eyes, timidly moving his forearms away to peek out, glaring at the laughing man on the other side of the glass. 

_“Love, you’re awake?”_ the man simply asks in a velvet-soft voice, eyes downcast in adoration, mouth grinning lovingly, as if he didn’t just angrily yell at the fae. The man is dressed in a white suit jacket and matching dress pants, a black shirt neatly tucked in under the blazer, quite the contrary to Jaehwan’s thin blouse and pants. His blond hair is combed up and away from his face, his handsome features highlighted by the lights from Jaehwan’s box against the rest of the dark abyss surrounding it. Jaehwan hates him.

“I guess I am.” The fae responds begrudgingly, lips pursing out in displeasure, gaze shifting up and away to focus on some violets. 

The man lets out another chuckle as he responds, “Oh my sweetheart looks so precious when he pouts like that.” his tone full of endearment, playfully whining against the glass in a mock-pout himself. It makes Jaehwan feel sick. 

“Have you been pulling on your collar again, love?” he asks steadily, the strain evident in his voice. The fae chooses not to acknowledge the question, his hand moving up to brush against one of the flower petals as if the man isn’t there in front of him. The sound of a loud exhale makes it obvious the man is not about to take this. _“Jaehwan,”_ the man starts off with a voice laced with budding rage, gritting through his teeth, “I asked you a _fucking_ question.”

Jaehwan subconsciously gulps, his usual thoughts of _fear_ mixing along with his current rebellious mood. The fae knows better than to not respond when the man asks a question, _but_ refuses to give the man exactly what he wants. Shrugging, the fae focuses his eyes up to his bangs, playing carelessly with his fringes as he mutters back “I might have a little, _sir._ ” Even though he hadn’t emphasized on the word, he knows it stings. 

The man lets out a frustrated breath, the anger he’s holding back is clearly evident. He turns around for a second, running a hand through his hair before turning back around to harshly slam a fist against the glass, not that the glass would break; it’s impenetrable… Jaehwan had finally accepted that fact a month ago. “I told you not to _fuckin_ call me that. Say my damn name when I’m talking to you!” the man sneers. “Your neck looks like a some animal mauled the fuck out of you! What the hell do you think you’re accomplishing by doing that?”

Jaehwan sucks in his bottom lip, eyes sadly staring at a strand of lilac tucked away. As if being trapped inside of a box against his will isn’t enough, he’s not even allowed to leave a single unapproved scratch or mark on his own body. 

The man growls, punching the glass once more as he shouts “Jaehwan, look at me while I’m talking to you!” 

Wincing unconsciously, Jaehwan slowly turns his head to look up at the man, his eyes colding narrowing as their gaze meets.

The anger on the man’s face morphs into one of frustration, the man sighing, eyes crestfallen as he says “Sweetheart, why are you acting out like this? I’ve had men scour all corners of the earth to find the prettiest flower to surround my prettiest flower. I’d bring you anything your little heart desires, all the jewels and sweets and luxury in the world. And this is how you act in return? This is how you repay my love?”

Jaehwan doesn’t respond right away, choosing to stare at the flustered man in front of him, the man clearly _hurt_ by his lack of appreciation, absolutely _bewildered_ by his staunch resilience, purely _devastated_ by his refusal to love the man back. 

The fae tilts his head to one side, forming a bitter, small smile “You put me in a cage, Sanghyuk.” He sees Sanghyuk’s eyes widen in startlement, lips parting slightly, but no words coming out. Jaehwan sighs, shaking his head with that same pitiful “You’ve trapped me in a box, displaying me like some artifact, as if I’m nothing more than one of your prized possession.” He scoffs, letting out a miserable chuckle and shaking his head. Jaehwan bites his full bottom lip, letting it go with a bounce to ensure Sanghyuk’s attention is fully on his mouth. He lets out a sigh as he steadily whispers “I will never, _ever_ reciprocate your love… I will abhor you until the day I die.”

Sanghyuk’s eyes bulge at that statement, the veins popping against his neck and temple, his jaw clearly tightening. The man tightens his fist, forcefully pushing it down and pressing them against his side. He closes his eyes briefly, inhaling deeply as if to calm himself, exhaling slowly as if he is searching for any fiber of restraint he can find in his body. Moving his hands behind his back, Sanghyuk opens his eyes once more and narrows them, staring right at Jaehwan’s face as he plainly says, “I’ll come back tomorrow.” He waits for a beat, gaze deadly attached to Jaehwan as he adds “You may not love me today, you may not love me tomorrow...but you will. You will.” 

Jaehwan blinks back at the man, unimpressed, unfazed. He opts to shift his gaze away from the other, fingers lazily playing with a vine. 

“Goodnight sweetheart.” Sanghyuk calls out to him, unwavering from his spot, attention solely on Jaehwan.

The fae shuts his eyes in distress, knowing anywhere the man isn’t about to leave until he responds. “Goodnight.” he softly answers. 

He sees Sanghyuk give a curt nod in approval, leisurely turning around and walking away. Jaehwan doesn’t look up to watch the other’s retreating back, mind already muddled with thoughts of rage and sadness. He only looks up once he hears the distant sound of a door closing, chewing on his bottom lip as he tries his best to hold back tears. The fae extends his legs as much as he can, letting out a crazed chuckle when they’re still bent at the knee. It seems no matter how much time he spends in this miserable fortress, he can’t get used to how constraining the box is. He blinks up at the light on the top, sighing as he shuts his eyes. 

Sanghyuk may have control over his body, but he’ll never own his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I shuffled the prompt numbers up a bit since I wanted more time on the 'actual' day three prompt. Please excuse any typos. Anyways, thank you for reading!


	4. Lacrimosa (KenVi; RaBin)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Wonshik/Jaehwan; Wonshik/Hongbin (side)  
> Rating: NC-17 (Explicit)  
> Prompt: I control your day and night  
> Warning: manipulation, mentions of disability, insecurity, infidelity, power-trip, dirty talk/smut, minor character death, hinted-torture
> 
> On his quest for power, Wonshik finds himself caught between two royal brothers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know nothing about royalty; whatever I know, I got from random googling & binging _The Crown_ & _The Great_.

Wonshik squints his eyes as he looks at red and pink flowers growing along the pillar of the porch, gaze slowly moving out towards the wide expanse of land, the biggest garden, fields, and stables in all of the country as your backyard. His cheeks twitch as he holds back his smirk full of a hint of jealousy, a dash of want, a sprinkle of _anticipation._

“Lord Kim, his highness will see you now.” the servant calls out to him. Wonshik looks towards the servant with a smile, straightening his maroon suit, making sure the white blouse is properly presented from below the jacket’s collars. He glances at the building’s window, checking his reflection in the pristine, clean glass and makes sure his jet-black hair is neatly combed away from his head, smiling to himself. After all, he’s here for one reason only: to woo the crown prince, Lee Jaehwan.

He is led into one of the many royal gardens in the castle’s premises all full of lush green and colorful breeds of flower. This particular garden is on the smaller side, a tad more intimate rather, with the nearby stables being the only other place with people. A place of solitude and peace. A little bird from the palace had told him the prince enjoys having his afternoon tea and snacks here, choosing to bask in the sunlight as he takes in the surroundings. He doesn’t let just _anyone_ join him during this moment of tranquility, but Wonshik is a determined man and he loves a challenge. He knew in order to move up from being a Lord to a member of the royal family, he had to get the King’s approval first, spending nearly two years building the right connections, the most _impeccable_ reputation, so much so the King’s advisors and aides would help him move to the top of the list as a suitable partner for Prince Jaehwan, imploring the King to convince his son to meet with him.

Wonshik’s back is straightened as he follows the servant, eyes remaining focused as he notices a mop of neatly styled golden-brown hair. The crown prince is sitting in a chair facing out towards the entrance of a huge expanse of land, the luxurious fabric of his tunic almost shining in the sunlight. Wonshik follows the servant and stops when the servant does, both standing to the side and behind the prince. “Your royal highness, Lord Kim.” 

The crown prince turns his head slowly to look at Wonshik, his initial bored, tired eyes widening, his plush pink lips parting slightly in surprise. Wonshik holds back a smirk because he can recognize attraction when he sees it. Jaehwan is dressed in a navy blue tunic with white accents, a dark cloth belt tied neatly around his lithe waist. Ever the gentleman, Wonshik bows his head towards the prince, placing a hand humbly over his chest as he says “It’s an honor to meet you, your highness.” 

He glances back up to find the other male blinking at him owlishly, mouth parting and closing for a few seconds then _subtly_ gulping, giving a nod as he says “Yes,” clearing his throat as he continues, “please, have a seat.” He motions towards the empty white garden chair across from him, a matching white table with intricate designs in between them. The table is decorated with tea, biscuits, and other small tarts, all displayed in the finest porcelain tea set and plates. The crown prince is a rather indulgent thing, but then again who of the royals aren’t Wonshik wonders.

“Thank you.” Wonshik says respectfully, shooting the prince a grin before sitting down, noting the dusky pink on Jaehwan’s cheek. 

The crown prince straightens in his seat, a bit nervously as he looks at Wonshik. “Would you care for some tea Lord Kim?” he politely asks his guest, already wrapping his delicate fingers around the kettle’s handle, the fancy rings adorning his fingers clinking against the porcelain at first touch.

Wonshik nods, smiling as he responds “I would love some tea, especially that poured by your royal highness.” Jaehwan looks up at Wonshik once, looking away as he pours the noble some tea, picking up the saucer with the cup and extending it. “Thank you.” Wonshik says.

The prince nods, choosing to look away as he picks up his own cup, bringing it close to his pink lips and taking a sip. He sighs, staring off past the garden towards the land next, the slope of his royal nose accentuated in this angle as he bites the inside of his cheek momentarily, a hint of nervousness showing. “I’ve been informed by my father that you wish to court me, Lord Kim?” he asks with a hilt in his voice.

_Already moving onto business_ Wonshik notes. “Why yes, your highness, if you would allow me.” 

Jaehwan gives Wonshik a pointed, concentrated look then feigning indifference. He gently brushes a few loose strands of his hair away from in front of his eyes, the sunlight making it seem as if the strands were woven in gold, “Well, forgive me for asking...but I think I have a right to...why court me? Why not my younger brother, Hongbin?” He turns towards Wonshik, eyes planted firmly on the lord. “Everyone knows he’s more handsome, his charms are out of this world, and he isn’t...” he pauses licking his lips, “he isn’t...isn’t” he presses his lips together, eyes downcast before continuing with mild disgust in his voice, “like me.” The word _crippled_ left unsaid. “Why not go for him if you must go after a Lee? If you crave to be with a royal?” he finishes, averting eye contact as he does. 

It’s not surprising that Jaehwan would ask Wonshik this. Jaehwan’s condition is not a hidden one; it is known throughout the entire land that the prince has some trouble with his leg and hip, a childhood accident leaving him with an injury that would affect the way he walks and stands until this day. This is perhaps why the prince is never seen standing for long periods of time, mostly appearing in public when he’s able to be seated or use his legs very minimally. Clearly the prince’s disability is a sensitive and important topic to Jaehwan and Wonshik knew he had to come prepared.

Wonshik takes a sip of his tea, gently placing the cup and saucer on the table. Without another word, he reaches out to take the prince’s hand into his. The lord picks up the sharp intake of breath from Jaehwan, clearly taken aback by someone touching him, the crown prince, without any preamble. Wonshik observes the pale skin, pretty blue veins coursing through it. His thumb brushes over the smooth skin as his fingers _tenderly_ caress the soft palm. He feels the light tremor his touches causes, glancing up at the prince, holding back his smirk as he watches Jaehwan attempt to hide his inner turmoil. He keeps his eyes locked with the prince as he slowly moves down to place a chaste kiss on the hand. Jaehwan doesn’t even try to hide the gasp he just released as he slowly pulls his hand away. 

_Why court Jaehwan? Why not go after his younger brother?_ It’s quite simple: _for power._ Wonshik answers in his mind, but does not dare to say, instead giving his most saccharine sweet smile he can muster up. Taking Jaehwan’s hand once more, he begins his charm. “Well...I’ve never met your younger brother and truthfully _I don’t care_ to ever meet him, because I’m here for _you._ I must admit, I am completely enamored by you. You sell yourself too short, your highness. I’ve seen beauties all throughout our great land and beyond, but none compares to yours. One would kill to have your beautiful brown eyes on them, one would die to know how soft those plush lips feel against them.”

Jaehwan gapes, closing his mouth and looking away, a blush on his cheeks that previously wasn’t there, his lips pressed into a straight line. He carefully pulls his hand out from Wonshik’s palm as he gulps, deciding to stare off into the distance instead of looking back at his suitor. Take a deep breath through his nose, the prince turns back slowly, picking up his tea cup to take a sip, his lips bouncing ever so slightly as he sets it back down, a little droplet of tea gracing the pink petal. 

Wonshik finds his eyes drawn to those lips, feeling a fire akin to desire coursing through his blood as Jaehwan’s tongue peeks, hastily wiping away the droplet, somehow making his lips appear even more inviting than they were before. The lord came here with the plan to woo the crown prince with sweet, adoring words, but with Prince Jaehwan looking the way he does? _Fuck,_ does it make easier. Jaehwan sets his cup down, glancing back up at Wonshik.

“Listen Lord Kim-”

“Wonshik.” he interrupts the prince, hoping he hadn’t pushed past charm into arrogance with that action.

The crown prince blinks at him, cheeks a subtle hint of pink, clearly not used to being interrupted or spoken so casually, _so intimately._ Wonshik knew it’s a risk to assume Jaehwan might find his forwardness impressive, setting him aside from all other suitors who would surely be clutching to their titles and ranks with tight hands. Something that is very different from what Jaehwan is used to, perhaps _enticing_ the prince. 

Jaehwan tilts his head slightly, a sliver of a smile gracing his lips. He lets out a small chuckle, looking back up at his suitor “Wonshik, the words and compliments you have given me are…very sweet.” he says, pausing as if to think of how to frame his next sentence. Sighing, he adds “I am the crown prince and will be king one day, I know this...but I don’t want you to see my title as an obligation to court me. Surely a man as young and handsome as you are can find plenty of suitable, attractive, and healthier partners than myself. I do not wish to burden you to be by my side for the rest of your life.”

Wonshik does not respond right away, staring deeply into those brown eyes. He finds the prince squirming under his gaze, cheeks looking absolutely warm. The lord smiles as he asks, “My prince, are you saying you find me handsome?” Jaehwan snaps his head up at the other, eyes as wide as the teacup saucers, his face turning as red as the flowers in the bushes next to him, opening and closing his mouth at a loss of words. Chuckling deeply, Wonshik’s hand reaches out to take the prince’s one once more, imploring “Maybe, maybe if someone had told me that before I saw you today, I _might_ have entertained the thought of courting someone else. But now that I’ve come out to this pretty garden and have seen _the prettiest rose,_ there is no way I will halt my efforts in courting you.” 

Jaehwan gapes at him speechlessly, blinking as if he heard the most surprising news. Wonshik smiles, giving the prince’s hand a reassuring squeeze, “That is, of course, if you’d still like me to court you.”

The prince stares at where their hands are connected, looking back up at Wonshik, his eyes lingering slightly on Wonshik’s lips as he gulps, releasing a slightly shaky breath as he nearly whispers, _“Okay…”_

“Okay?” Wonshik questions, knowing very well what the prince means. 

Jaehwan nods, a shy smile forming on his lips as his face becomes a pale pink, softly replying “Okay...yes you may keep courting me.”

Wonshik grins at that response, the feeling of desire stronger than before. How much of that desire is for power and how much is for the prince? Wonshik isn’t too sure.

The sound of distant galloping is heard, causing the pair to break out of their moment. A horse pulls up at the entrance below, a handsome man hopping off of it. A few servants rush towards the man, awaiting for him as he hands his hat and crop to the servants. He stands tall, straightening the jacket of his horse-riding gear, fitting nicely around his athletic upper body tapering down to a thin waist, beige pants snug against the man’s thin legs and tucked into black riding boots. 

Glancing towards the garden, he starts walking forward. As he nears, Wonshik notices the man’s dark brown hair forms a comma over his forehead effortlessly, despite just having gotten back from horseback riding. Light sheens of sweat along his temples give the man a slightly dewy look. A devilish smirk graces his face, cheeks indenting into a charming dimple. Wonshik feels like he should look away, yet for some reason _just can’t seem to._ There’s something pulling him into the other man, enticing him to move closer.

This stranger stops right in front of the garden table, grinning at the crown prince as he asks “Jae, I see we have company. Aren’t you going to introduce us.” the man starts off. It is once the man speaks to the crown prince does Wonshik remember that Jaehwan is even there. He nearly splutters, taken aback at someone talking to the _crown prince_ so casually.

Jaehwan blankly stares at this stranger with a tight-lipped smile, muttering “Certainly.” He motions a hand towards Wonshik and politely says “This is Lord Kim Wonshik. Lord Kim,” he starts, turning to face Wonshik, “this is my darling younger brother, Prince Hongbin.”

_Prince Hongbin_. _Of course._

Wonshik makes a move to stand from his seat and bow his head, politely greeting “Your highness.”

The younger prince grins, head tilted as he motions for the other male to sit. “That’ll do.” he says, eyeing the lord as he asks in a curious, yet playful tone, “I must ask, what did you say to him that he’s letting you have tea with him in his precious garden. He barely lets me sit out here with him, so what makes you so special.”

Wonshik feels a hint of pride hearing that, ready to clear his throat when he hears Jaehwan say next to him “He’s actually courting me Binnie.” The lord moves his attention to Jaehwan, finding the crown prince staring up at his brother with a pleased smile, taking a sip of tea. For some reason, he feels a little disappointed that the Jaehwan has said this out-loud in front of Hongbin.

The lord looks towards Hongbin to find the younger prince raising an eyebrow, turning to Wonshik as he asks “Oh? Is that so?” Wonshik nods, responding with a _yes your highness_ , a sudden feeling of self-consciousness wafting over him. Hongbin hums, eyeing the lord up and down for a second before responding “I guess I’ll be seeing more of you around then.” Hongbin turns to the still-smiling crown prince, mockingly doing a curtsy as he proclaims, “I’ll be leaving you then, _your highness._ ”

Wonshik feels he cheeks heating up, unsure if this is a jabbing insult at him or playful banter between two brothers very close in age. He hears Jaehwan scoff beside him, chuckling as he says “You’re lucky I tolerate you Binnie. Now go take a shower, you’re all sweaty!” 

Hongbin scoffs back, shooting Wonshik one last acknowledging nod before walking past Jaehwan, making sure to crouch down quickly and swipe his sweaty temple against the crown prince’s cheek before speed-walking away, causing the older male to groan. “Hongbin!” the older brother shouts after him. He grumbles to himself as he turns around, wiping his cheek with a handkerchief as he does. 

Wonshik’s eyes are glued to the younger prince’s back, watching intently as Hongbin stretches his back. He turns towards Jaehwan, thinking about the interaction he just saw and casually stating “I take it you and your brother get along very well.” 

  
  


Jaehwan’s hand pauses mid-folding his handkerchief, looking up at Wonshik. He gives the lord the same tight-lipped smile he had initially greeted his younger brother with. “Sure, I guess you could say that.” Wonshik narrows his eyebrows, not exactly sure what the prince means by that. His curiosity implores him to dig deeper, ask Jaehwan what exactly he means. But that’s not why he’s here. Wonshik had just gained permission from the other to pursue him; he’s not about to lose that just because he felt a little curious. 

Hoping to move away from this topic, Wonshik smiles as he asks, “Your highness, is there a particular sweet or dessert that you fancy? I’d love to bring some for you during my next visit.” 

The crown prince shifts his gaze up towards Wonshik, a shy smile appearing on his lips. 

* * *

“I’m sorry, you’re probably used to walking at a faster pace.” Jaehwan says, giving the other man an apologetic smile. They are walking on the open grass field between the garden and the horse stables, on Jaehwan’s insistence on giving Wonshik a tour of the palace grounds.

Wonshik shakes his head as he responds with a sheepish grin “If walking at a slower pace means I get to spend more time with you, then I have no complaints, your highness.” Jaehwan blushes at that comment, choosing to look forward as he bite his lips together, a smile still forcing through it. 

It’s true: Wonshik wants to spend as much time as he can with the prince, hoping it will help him move into Jaehwan’s heart smoothly. Once he finds permanent residence there, then he can decorate or change it as he pleases. It helps that the crown prince is easy on the eye, a vision of sweetness and purity, all tied together with the poise and polish of royalty.

Of course, what Wonshik doesn’t tell Jaehwan is that their leisurely stride also allows for him to get a closer look of _Hongbin_ during his horse-riding session. The younger prince rides past them just then, looking like an absolute dream: brown hair waving in the wind, handsome face etched with an attractive concentration, lean muscles flexing under his riding gear. Wonshik’s observations are discreet, of course, making sure his eyes are always on Jaehwan whenever the crown prince turns to him. 

Eventually they make it up to the garden once more, the servant having already set up the teaset and pastries, including the strawberry shortcakes Wonshik brought especially for the prince. The lord watches Hongbin riding his horse down in the open field, not exactly able to see the younger prince’s face due to the distance. It’s a pity, really. 

It’s his fourth time visiting the palace and Wonshik feels as if he’s doing pretty well. If he hadn’t, well, then Jaehwan wouldn’t have kept letting him visit, right? The last time he was here, he even got to sit down and have lunch with the King. He wonders how the timing will play out and when this can move forward, his thoughts cut off as he hears the crown prince clear his throat.

“You know,” Jaehwan starts off, nibbling on the shortcake in his hand as he says, “if you’d like to know what happened to my leg...I would gladly tell you.”

The lord grins amusingly at the prince, blinking at Wonshik owlishly as he chews, little pink and cream crumbs lingering in the corner of his lips. Years of training and upbringing as a royal has Jaehwan composed and graceful at all times, even while having a simple meal with his father and the man courting him, as Wonshik had observed him during lunch. He always sat with the perfect posture, holding all the utensils with such sophistication, dabbing away any specks from his lips effortlessly. And here he is in front of Wonshik, giggling as he indulges in the dessert, uncaring about the smidge on his lip, completely letting his guard down for the lord.

_His little prince did have a penchant for sweets._

Wonshik raises an eyebrow, slightly surprised that the crown prince would want to share something so personal with him. He reaches a calculative hand over, “ _unconsciously_ ” swiping away the crumbs from the prince’s lips as he mutters, “Your highness, you don’t have to tell me you don’t want to. Please don’t feel pressured to do so.” 

Jaehwan freezes slightly at the action, his cheeks turning as pink as the sweets. He mumbles a thanks before shaking his head, “No, no I…” he pauses before glancing up at Wonshik “I want you to know...more about me.”

_You want to open up to me,_ Wonshik muses. He places a reassuring hand over the Jaehwan’s one, finding the other visibly relaxing at the touch as he thumbs over the soft skin. “What happened to your leg?” Wonshik gently asks in part hoping it comes across that he has the supporting nature one looks for in a life partner...and in part because he _is_ genuinely interested.

Jaehwan bites his bottom lip, looking up at the field as he licks his lips “I… I fell off of a horse when I was thirteen..” he looks back down, focusing on Wonshik’s thumb against his skin. “I was...I was actually scared to get on one. But Hongbin was teasing me about it…” Jaehwan glances up to watch his younger brother pass by swiftly on the horse, his jaw stiffening. He slowly moves his hand away from Wonshik to his teacup. “You know, he’s a year younger than me, yet he was always better at everything, braver, stronger, more talented. I can’t even ride a _fucking horse._ ” he bitterly grits through his teeth. 

The lord purses his lips, focusing on the crown prince’s expression, recognizing the evident self-deprecation. He watches Jaehwan gnaw at his bottom lip, ring-cladded finger absentmindedly playing with the teacup on the garden table, head tilting to the side as he blankly stares ahead. Wonshik’s eyes narrow in the pale expanse of his neck, smooth skin _tempting_ to be marked. His eyes shift to where the crown prince’s adam’s apple bobs, causing Wonshik to bite the inside of his cheek as his mind wanders elsewhere. It’s once Jaehwan forms a natural pout that he shakes his head, the lord thinking about what he can do to make the prince feel better now, storing away the thoughts of how Jaehwan’s insecurities can benefit him later on.

“My prince,” he starts off, “just because you don’t ride horses doesn’t make you any less of a catch and it certainly doesn’t make you any less of a prince.”

Jaehwan lets out a heartless chuckle, looking up at Wonshik with disappointed eyes as he mumbles through pouty lips “What kind of prince can’t even ride through their country to greet his people?”

“The kind of prince who will greet them from their level, not held up high on some pedestal; a kind, approachable prince your people love and adore you for.” 

Those words help Jaehawn’s shoulder visibly relax, the crown prince smiling. He opens his mouth to respond when he’s interrupted by the sound of footsteps. 

“Lovebirds, please halt yours sweet talk for a couple of minutes as I walk by. Thank you.” Hongbin jokingly says. His hair is messier today than it was the first day Wonshik saw him, _thin_ shirt sticking to his sweaty frame, skin slightly flush from the exertion of horse riding on a beautiful day. The younger prince shifts his attention towards Wonshik to shoot him a wink, a _knowing one,_ as he walks past the two, the lord’s collar suddenly feeling a bit tight. 

“He’s so annoying.” Jaehwan snorts, giggling as he reaches out for another piece of shortcake, staring at Wonshik from the corner of his eyes with a shy smile. Wonshik finds himself giving a charming smile back, taking a sip of his tea.

* * *

“So...how’s the courting session going? Am I going to hear wedding bells soon?” the younger prince asks nonchalantly, taking a sip of his wine and politely smiling at some noble walking by. 

They are standing to the side at a banquet celebrating the King’s 65th birthday; a lively affair with mouthwatering food, wine, music, and chatter. Wonshik had seen Jaehwan for maybe an hour, before the King whisked him to introduce him to one official or another, responding to the prince’s whines with _“this will be your responsibility one day, son. I promise your suitor I’ll bring you back within the hour.”_ He gave Wonshik a knowing wink, one akin to that of his younger son’s from a few days back, only this wink was of a teasing nature, Hongbin’s was a secretive one. 

It had been well over ‘ _the hour’_ and Jaehwan was still stuck to the King’s side, being pulled around to greet nobles and ambassadors, forced smiles and polite nods on tow. But Wonshik isn’t complaining. The prince was being groomed to take his father’s place one day, especially with rumours of the current king’s health concerns floating throughout the country. He watches them with dark eyes, taking a sip of his wine, hoping he doesn’t look _too_ excited over the prospect of Jaehwan, the man he hopes to marry, will take over as King.

Turning to Hongbin with a friendly smile, Wonshik shrugs, “Well…” he looked around in mock suspicion before whispering loudly to Hongbin, “he did reach out and hold my hand under the table all throughout dinner.” 

The younger prince gasps, lips parted in a smile as he jokingly snarls back _“Holding hands?! How scandalous!”_ Wonshik snorts, as he sips on his drink, hearing the man next to him sigh. 

“Lee Jaehwan...the crown prince. He’ll be king of this land one day.” Hongbin says, watching his brother sitting next to their father, nodding with boredom at something a diplomat from the neighboring country is saying. He’s gracing a dull smile as pining brown eyes scan the crowd like a puppy looking for its owner. Hongbin tuts his tongue, glancing over at Wonshik with a raised eyebrow. “You’re quite successful with your agenda; you’ve practically got my brother wrapped around your finger.”

Wonshik chokes on his wine, turning towards the younger prince, shocked “Sorry? Your highness, I’m not sure what you’re talking abou-”

“Oh please,” Hongbin scoffs, cutting off his brother’s suitor “I know very well why you’re courting my brother. Who wouldn’t want to be married to the ruler of a country.” Hongbin tilts his head away, round brown eyes glossy as he shrugs, “You get to live a life of luxury, the royal life, all while controlling the highest power of the land because let’s be honest,” he scoffs once more, “he’ll listen to all of your sweet little whispers without hesitation. Jaehwan, and my father for that matter, may be naïve and don’t realize what you’re doing, _but I do._ ”

Wonshik closes and opens his mouth several times, panicking internally as he watches all of his plans crumble, everything he has accomplished being yanked away from him. He watches the younger prince finish off his glass of wine, stopping a server to grab a new glass and placing his empty one on the tray. Hongbin stares at Jaehwan’s direction once more, moving his attention back to Wonshik only to snort “Why do you look like someone just signed you a death sentence? _Relax,_ I’m not about to ruin your scheme.” He laughs, tilting his head back, his neck just as pretty as Jaehwan’s, albeit appearing more toned. 

The lord swallows the lump in his throat, as he asks with a shaky voice, “Y-you’re, you’re not?”

Hongbin gives him an incredulous look, laughing as he responds “Fuck no. I don’t really give a shit!” He shakes his head, sipping on his wine as Wonshik gawks at the prince. After swishing the liquor in his mouth, Hongbin turns to the lord with hooded eyes, mouth smirking, as he slowly swallows the contents. Wonshik watches the prince’s Adam’s apple, feeling his blood rush as he stares at the other’s throat. _Ahh,_ Hongbin exhales pleasingly, shifting closer to the lord with a lop-sided grin as he whispers, “Besides, I’ve seen the way you look at me...and I’m _always_ excited to play a new game.”

* * *

Sunlight bounces off of titles etched in gold, the colorful books closer to the window catching Wonshik’s peripheral attention. A moan draws him back to the man he has pressed up against shelves, gasping with each grind against Wonshik’s clothed erection. The lord growls against Jaehwan’s mouth, biting the prince’s bottom lip as his hands tangle through the damp golden-brown locks. His other hand is tightly holding Jaehwan’s thigh as he presses the other’s hips down with his pelvis. 

_“Wonshik!”_ Jaehwan breathlessly yelps, when his fingers untwine from the prince’s hair and move down to grope at his supple ass. He moves down to press open-mouthed kisses onto the prince’s neck, being a little more daring when he reaches Jaehwan’s chest, sucking bruises onto the skin that is usually covered by fancy tunics. One of his hands lips Jaehwan’s hip to play with the prince’s nipple as his lips preoccupies the other one. Jaehwan throws his head back as he whimpers, whining when Wonshik presses his thigh in between the prince’s parted legs. 

He moves back up to watch Jaehwan through lidded eyes as the prince humps his thigh, brown yearning eyes staring back at Wonshik, lips parted with desperation. The prince’s facial expression suddenly morphs into an uncomfortable one as he lets out a hiss, hand moving off of Wonshik’s shoulder and towards his own hip.

Wonshik moves a hand cup Jaehwan’s cheek, staring at him alarmingly as he asks “What’s the matter sweetheart? Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Jaehwan groans, staring back at Wonshik with apologetic eyes as he nods, “My hip, I just- this sharp pain-”

The lord nods, shushing Jaehwan as he winds an arm around the prince’s midriff, leading the other towards the divan in the library. “It’s my fault, love, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have lost my composure like that.”

“No, no, Wonshik,” Jaehwan implores as Wonshiks lies him down, shaking his head with widened eyes, “please don’t apologize. It’s my hip, not you.” 

“No, it is. I shouldn’t have pounced on you against the damn shelves. I should’ve known better, been more careful.” Wonshik responds as he places his knee on the divan, hovering over the prince, making sure he appears as remorseful and worried as he can. He takes Jaehwan’s hand and presses the fingers against his lips, muttering against it, “You just looked so beautiful.”

The comment makes Jaehwan smile through his parted lips, cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink. Wonshik places a soft kiss against the prince’s forehead, shifting his lips over to Jaehwan’s temple as one of his hands slides over the hard-on Jaehwan gasps loudly against Wonshik’s ear as he moves his hands under the prince’s tunic, briefly caressing the soft tummy before reaching below the thin black slacks. 

He noses along Jaehwan’s cheek as the other male whimpers, stroking the hot length in his palms as he lazily peppers the prince’s face with pecks. He reaches out for Jaehwan’s wrist, placing the hand above his own erection, hissing as he presses against the open palm. His free hand now reaches up to card through Jaehwan’s hair before he _tugs_ , relishing the _mewl_ the prince lets out. He smirks against Jaehwan’s cheek, learning pretty early on during their courtship that the prince enjoys some rough treatment every now and then, enjoyed being a docile little lamb in Wonshik’s hands after being pampered and revered his whole life.

_“Fuck,”_ he groans next to Jaehwan’s ear, hearing the prince cry in return, “do you see what you do to me, _Jaehwan?_ Can you _feel_ just how much I want you?” he asks. He pulls off Jaehwan’s pants, haphazardly throwin it on the floor before pressing two fingers against the prince’s lips. Jaehwan whimpers when Wonshik wraps a hand around his cock once more, willingly parting his lips and sucking in his fiancé’s fingers, running his tongue around the digits as he peers up at Wonshik with round eyes. Wonshik hisses, as he takes the sufficiently _wet_ fingers out and moves them between the prince’s parted legs, locking his eyes with Jaehwan as he presses against the puckered entrance. 

Jaehwan sharply inhales, choking out _“W-wonshik!”_ The lord, in turn, smirks, thrusting his finger in and out as he continues stroking the prince’s cock, every hitch of breath and whimper going straight to his cock. He gingerly adds the second finger when Jaehwan breathlessly moans out _“More,_ ah- _please, Wonshik!”_

His cock twitches at not only the sight of the crown prince lying under him, _a whimpering mess_ literally _in the palm of his hands_ and _wrapped around his fingers,_ but also at having the ability to forego the titles that sets the prince on his own pedestal, taking away the _power_ the other male holds over him. 

He twists his wrist, causing Jaehwan to let out a pathetic cry, throwing his head back onto the divan, eyes squeezed shut as litanies of pretty moans flows out of his parted lips, his hands groping Wonshik’s erection. Wonshik watches through a feral smile, pushing the prince’s hand into his trousers, hungrily groaning when nimble fingers wrap around his leaking cock. 

Wonshik grits through his teeth in a gruff voice “How _badly_ do you want me, _Jaehwan?_ Huh? How bad do you want me in you? _Wishing it was my cock fucking you instead of my fingers?”_ He feels the prince shiver below him, letting out a choked moan, only adding fuel to the lord’s growing hubris. 

Wonshik grunts as he fucks into Jaehwan’s wrist, unable to tame himself as he adds “Because I can’t wait, sweetheart. I can’t wait to _fuck you into our bed._ I wish I could fuck you into this couch, having you crying my name so loud every servant walking by could hear your wails. You father walking in and finding _daddy’s precious son_ begging to get his brains fucked out, all in his own library.” He speeds up his strokes, causing Jaehwan to moan loudly, pushing his cock further into Wonshik’s hands. Jaehwan’s free hand reaches behind his head to clutch on the divan, keening when Wonshik crooks his fingers inside of him. 

The lord eagerly takes in the noises, tasting every single morsel of pride Jaehwan lets go of and greedily waiting for more. 

_That’s it, give me all of you. I’ll control your day and night._

Jaehwan’s back arches as he comes, painting his tunic and Wonshik’s fist with streaks of white, his face flushing deep red and swollen lips twitching with cries, damp hair sprawled all over the headrest, sticking tears drying on his cheek; _an absolute mess._

The unbearable sight makes Wonshik lose all inhibition, thrusting into Jaehwan’s fist frantically, the prince’s whimpers egging him on until he comes. Panting heavily, he lays his head down on Jaehwan’s heaving chest, making sure to put most of his weight on his leg and knee. The prince lets out an exhausted giggle as his fingers cradle through Wonshik’s locks. “Just three more months.” he mutters.

Wonshik finds himself smirking at that statement, his hands reaching up to hold the prince’s waist as he nuzzles his face into Jaehwan’s chest, causing his fiance to chortle. He places open-mouthed kisses against the smooth skin, up against Jaehwan’s neck and jawline until reaching the smiling, plush lips. He places a peck on the corner of Jaehwan’s mouth, hands groping the prince’s sides possessively as he mutters _“Can’t fucking wait.”_ He noses along Jaehwan’s cheek, hiding his predatory grin.

* * *

Hongbin purses his lips as he stares out the window, eyes scanning through the vast amount of land, seemingly never-ending up until the horizon, wondering out loud “I should find myself lucky: being able to enjoy all the pleasantries of the royal life without having all of the responsibilities or the burden of _that_ _title._ ”

Wonshik’s eyes are trained on the prince’s bare ass, partially covered by the hands crossed behind his lower back. The lord leans against the headboard of the bed as he casually asks, “Is that so?”

The prince turns back to look at him, shrugging, “Well, I mean, not unless my brother ends up dying, of course.” he laughs, “I guess then I would have that responsibility.” He turns around to look at Wonshik, pensively adding “The thing is...despite all of the responsibilities, I’ve _always_ wanted _that title._ Truthfully I’d be a better leader than Jaehwan.” 

Wonshik snorts, laughing “You really think so?”

Hongbin looks him dead in the eye, all seriousness, as he responds “I _know_ so.” He grits his teeth, turning back “But, as I’ve been told, _‘there’s always a natural order of things,’_ ” he pauses, eyes burning a hole into his wine glass, “ _‘and you need to fall in line.’”_ Scoffing, the prince adds “He’s not even my father’s favorite; _I’m his favorite._ He even went far enough to ask Jaehwan if he would abdicate but he never did...even with his condition.”

The lord doesn’t respond right away, simply humming before adding, “Well, if it helps you feel better...you might be my favorite too?” 

“Ha!” Hongbin responds bitterly, getting dressed as he stares off into the window, shoulders tense, jaw set. “It’s a bit unfair, don’t you think.” 

Wonshik pulls the covers away, standing from the bed with eyebrows scrunched in confusion, “What’s unfair?” 

Hongbin shakes his head, letting out a deep chuckle laced with bitterness as he tucks his blouse into his pants, buttoning the garment as he responds “That he gets to be the ruler of this land...and he can’t even walk through it, not properly at least.”

“Perhaps that’s true,” Wonshik muses, walking towards Hongbin. His arms embrace the royal as he sets his chin on the broad shoulder. “But,” he starts off, placing delicate, lingering kisses along the wide expanse of skin from the ball of Hongbin’s shoulder to his jawline, causing the prince to sigh “that is also why he’ll never walk in on us.” 

* * *

It shouldn’t be unexpected to find the King in this state; bed-ridden, out of his mind, taking his last few breaths. Rumors of his worsening health had been spreading for years now. Wonshik was there just five days ago when the King stood up after letting out a mirthful laugh, rambling about how pleased he was with the floral arrangements for his son’s wedding in the upcoming week. Wonshik was there when the King suddenly clutched the chair, eyes widening, before he collapsed on the floor.

And here they are now. 

Jaehwan is sitting on the ground, his head lying on the bed next to his father’s hand, eyes focused on the dying king. Another official is in the room as well as two servants, the King’s main doctor, and a priest. Hongbin and Wonshik stand against a wall. 

The younger prince leans close to Wonshik’s ear, whispering “The doctor said he might be gone before the next sunset.”

  
  
  


Wonshik nods, eyes watching Jaehwan lazily grazes his fingertips against the King’s fingers. “Does he think it’s any foul play? Poison?” Wonshik asks inconspicuously.

The prince shakes his head, holding back a scoff “Carelessness,” Hongbin responds, shaking his head, “years of carelessness, eating and drinking whatever the hell he wanted.”

Wonshik nods, watching his grieving fiancé on the floor. He gets off the wall, walking towards his fiancé before kneeling next to him, placing a supporting hand on Jaehwan’s shoulder, “My love, you should eat something. You need your energy.” 

Jaehwan turns a little towards Wonshik, sad brown eyes still focusing on his father’s finger as he nods his head. “I will, in a little bit.” he mutters. He tears his gaze away and looks at Wonshik, dark circles from days of sleeplessness clearly evident under his eyes, “You and Binnie go eat, okay?”

The lord looks over at Hongbin, seeing the younger prince raise an eyebrow, giving Wonshik a knowing look. Anticipation builds in the pit of his stomach even though he knows it shouldn’t. He sighs, leaning in to place a peck on Jaehwan’s temple, muttering against it “Okay, but don’t take too long.” pulling back to find the crown prince nodding like a child.

“I won’t.” Jaehwan meekly responds, placing his head back on the bed. Wonshik stands up and walks towards Hongbin, despite knowing that was a lie.

* * *

Hongbin pushes Wonshik onto the bed, climbing over him with a grimace as he pins the lord’s wrists beside his head. Wonshik snorts as he comments “Damn, if someone saw us right now, you’d think they know your dad is on his deathbed?” 

The prince’s smirk dies down as he punches Wonshik’s shoulder with a decent amount of force, causing the lord to yelp. “Fuck you, Wonshik!” he gets off of the lord and sits on the bed, hands angrily fisting the mattress on either side of his legs. Wonshik groans, holding his aching shoulder as he sits up, glancing at Hongbin in bewilderment. The younger prince doesn’t look up, his jaws tightening as he says “I know you’re probably really excited from going to a lord to the King’s consort, but I’m not just losing a King…I’m losing my father.”

Wonshik blinks at the prince, feeling a hint of guilt, draping an arm around Hongbin’s shoulder. “You’re right,” Wonshik says, placing a peck on the prince’s temple, muttering against it “I’m sorry. You’re obviously grieving.” 

Hongbin sighs, finally looking up and staring into Wonshik’s eyes. Only now does Wonshik realize how sullen they are, days and nights of worry obvious in Hongbin’s bloodshot eyes. The prince’s lips are swollen with bite marks from worrying his teeth into them all day, dimples barely showing as he attempts to give Wonshik a tired smile. It hurt Wonshik.

The lord cradles his face, Hongbin simply pressing his cheek into Wonshik’s palm. Wonshik presses a chaste kiss onto the prince’s lips, hoping to distract him from those worrying thoughts, leaning in closer as he does. He feels Hongbin fist the collars of his blouse, desperately pulling against it, sighing as he does. Wonshik’s hand moves to Hongbin’s back, tantalizing fingertips grazing over the prince’s spine, causing Hongbin to moan loudly.

A loud slam causes both of them to separate hurriedly, snapping their heads towards the door. There stands Jaehwan with red eyes and wet cheeks, gaping as he looks between his brother and his fiancé with at least five guards standing behind the crown prince. Wonshik’s jaw drops, his entire body going rigid as he whispers, _“Jaehwan…”_

Wonshik’s eyes are wide as he glances at Hongbin, the younger prince shivering next to him on the bed. A small whimper leaves Jaehwan’s lips as he opens and closes his mouth, a new teardrop rolling down his cheek as he tilts his head towards Hongbin, nearly whispering “I just came here to let you know that...our father...has died.”

Hongbin takes in a sharp breath, slowly getting up as he takes shaky steps towards his brother, _“Jae…”_ he lets out in between a choked cry, reaching out for the older male. 

Jaehwan is chewing on his trembling bottom lip, stepping away from Hongbin as he looks between his brother and Wonshik. “Our father,” he says through gritted teeth, glaring at the both of them “ _the King,_ was taking his last breath while _you”_ he _snarls_ “were doing whatever the _fuck_ you were doing.” 

The younger prince shakes his head, tears welling his eyes as he attempts to move closer to Jaehwan. He places a firm grip on one of Jaehwan’s shoulder, begging _“Jaehwan no-_ I’m so-”

_“Your majesty.”_ Jaehwan clarifies with ice-cold sharpness, his eyes burning with rage as he tightly grips Hongbin’s wrist causing the younger prince to whimper, “You’re talking to your new fucking king!” Jaehwan growls, tossing Hongbin’s hand away.

Wonshik finally finds himself getting up, walking towards Jaehwan with hesitant steps, “Jaehwan,” he starts “sweetheart, please calm down.” His fiance snaps his head up shaking his head. 

“Guards!” Jaehwan yells, the guards coming in to grab Hongbin and Wonshik. “Don’t fucking _sweetheart_ me, Wonshik.” he snarls at Wonshik, shaking as he looks between the both of them, breaking out into hysterical laughter, cacophonous laughter getting louder with each second “My first act as King is to condemn my brother and my fucking betrothed, can you believe this shit?!”

Both Hongbin and Wonshik’s eyes widen in panic, as the prince shakes his head, trying to push past the guards to his brother, “Jaehwan, please, don’t! Please forgive me! I’ve been loyal to you, _will always_ be loyal to you, from your coronation to your-” 

“My coronation?!” Jaehwan shouts, effectively cutting Hongbin off. Tears well up in his eyes as he stares at his brother with a crazed glare, a menacing smile on his face as he nearly drags himself despite his limping leg towards where the prince is held by the guards “Oh Binnie, my sweet, dear brother… don’t worry, you _won’t_ be at my coronation.” He motions at the guards, smile wavering into a frown. 

Wonshik watches the palace guards drag Hongbin away, echoes of _Jaehwan please_ and _I’m sorry_ becoming more and more distant. He trembles in fear as he takes in how cruelly Jaehwan is acting, unable to breathe as he realizes there is no exit to this, there is nothing he can say or do to fix this.

Jaehwan looks towards Wonshik, slowly walked over to his fiancé with calculated steps, the muscles of his neck straining, looking absolutely crazed as his gaze lingers over the lord. He lets out a breathless chuckle, eyes piercing into Wonshik’s face as he grits at the guards, “Take him away.”

* * *

Wonshik pants heavily as he glares at his shadow, lulling his throbbing head from side-to-side, licking his chapped lips and swallowing whatever moisture he can muster up in his mouth. He doesn’t know how long ago he had his last sip of water or how long his wrists have been tied up and hanging from the bolted chains above his head. Come to think of it, he can’t even remember how long he’s been here at all, the punches and hunger pangs all mixing in together. From the distance he hears a door opening, followed by steady, measured footsteps, slowly making their way towards Wonshik. He bemoans, praying it is his executioner, coming here to take mercy on him and putting him out of his misery.

The footsteps stop in front of his cage, but Wonshik doesn’t have the energy to look up, to whisper a _help me._ A second passes before he hears a familiar, yet distant voice. “Hello Wonshik.” 

Even through his hazy mind, Wonshik recognizes Jaehwan’s voice, snapping his head up towards the crown prin- no, towards the new _king._

Jaehwan is staring at Wonshik, expressionless, watching his former fiancé pull against the restraint as he reaches for him. Wonshik cries out as the chains digs into his skin, calling out _“J-jaehwa-”_

“You must be out of your mind if you’re still addressing me by my name. Say, have they not drilled that into your head yet? Should I order a hundred more lashes?” the _King_ coldly sneers, the tone once laced with honey now dripping with venom.

Wonshik shakes his head, finding himself breakdown as he starts off _“Your majesty,”_ positive not to piss off Jaehwan anymore than he has _“please, Hongbin and I never meant to hu-”_

Jaehwan throws his head back and crazily cackles, his laughter echoing through the halls of the dungeon as he glares back at Wonshik with wild eyes, asking “You’re actually bringing up my darling, _traitor_ of a brother? What the _fuck,_ Wonshik?” His eye twitches as he adds with a mirthless chuckles, “Oh I made sure to make a real good example of him. Don’t you worry about him, he’s with those horses of his he loves so damn much!”

Wonshik snivels, understanding there was no way in hell the Jaehwan would forgive him, that whatever _power_ he had over the other is long gone. He nods, crying out with desperation, hoping he can cajole the other male _one final time_ as he begs, “I’ve done nothing but hurt you and for that I deserve the worst punishment... I deserve to die, your Majesty. Please, _please,_ kill me. Please order them to kill me.” he wails.

Jaehwan tilts his head as he softly asks Wonshik “Do you really think...death is the worst punishment? Are you telling me that you deserve to...just die?” Wonshik whimpers in despair, shaky breath leaving his lips as he stares at Jaehwan. 

The King lets out a boisterous laugh before snapping his head at Wonshik, snarling as he shouts “I decide if you live or die, Wonshik! I control your day and night! _I_ decide if you get to see the sunrise and _I_ decide whether you’re tormented every _single_ moment that you are awake, tortured just enough that you pass out, but never enough that you die. Because you don’t get to die Wonshik. You don’t get to decide.” 

Jaehwan pants harshly against the cell bars, eyes brimming with tears, veins popping in his throat. He bites the inside of his lips to stop the trembling, “I fucking gave you _everything_ and you took advantage of me, took advantage of my love…” he trails off, shaking his head, turning to leave.

Wonshik croaks, longingly reaching out for the other, as he says _“I’m so sorry, Jaehwan! I’m so sorry!”_

Jaehwan pauses, slowly turning his head towards Wonshik, his profile illuminated by the sliver of sunlight coming through the prison’s small window, the golden light hinting that it would be night soon. The slope of his regal nose highlighted just as it was the first day Wonshik met him, the pink lips looking just as soft as the last time he had kissed them, the dark brown eyes downcast, heavy with pain and anger; the once insecure and naïve crown prince now replaced by a cold and mad king. He does not respond to Wonshik, turning back around and walking away, leaving Wonshik to spend the last of his days rotting in tormented hell. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started writing a very small drabble of this back for the VIXXtober challenge as part of a 'spooky'-theme, but changed my mind on it. This was a little frustrating to write because I wasn't sure if Wonshik's manipulative & narcissistic thoughts & traits were presenting themselves clearly...also idk if their inconsistent fashion was too distracting 😅 The title is based off of the Mozart piece I was thinking of while writing a lot of this lol Anyways, for any of you that reads this one, thanks! Hope your mind isn't mush like mine lololol


	5. How Do I Love Thee? (HyukVi; KenVi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Wonshik/Sanghyuk; Wonshik/Jaehwan(side)  
> Rating: G  
> Prompt: Every night I want you  
> Warning: one-sided love; Jaehwan as 'Lady Lee'
> 
> Sanghyuk helps Wonshik write a love letter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of bittersweet & short!

_“Dear Lady Lee, words cannot describe the things you do to me.”_

Sanghyuk blankly looks up upon reading this line, sighing as he continues. 

_“I think of you when I’m in bed. Every night I want you.”_

The second line has Sanghyuk setting the letter down, squinting his eyes shut and he rubs the bridge of his nose. 

Wonshik blinks at him from where he’s sitting, wide owlish eyes staring at the closed letter then glances back up at his friend. “Well? Is it good?”

Sanghyuk opens his eyes and stares at Wonshik with a straight-face, hitting the older male on the head with the letter. 

“Ow, what the heck Sanghyuk!” Wonshik grumbles. 

“You’re practically telling her you jerk off to her in bed.” the younger male deadpans.

“What?! N-no I don’t! Why would I write that?” Wonshik stammers, appearing very guilty even _if_ he was innocent. He takes the letter from Sanghyuk’s hand, rubbing the back of his neck as he rereads it. “I don’t get it?” he looks up in confusion. 

The younger male presses his lips tightly, narrowing his eyebrows as he repeats _“I think of you in bed…every night I want you…while I’m in bed…”_

It takes Wonshik another ten seconds, the older male scrunching his eyebrows before gasping loudly, clasping a hand over his open mouth. “Oh my God!” He glances down at the paper with fear yelping “Her older brothers would kill me if they ever read that.”

“Yeah buddy, that’s what I was trying to tell you.” Sanghyuk says, shaking his head. Wonshik stares at the letter in horror, looking back up at Sanghyuk with puppy-dog eyes. The younger male in turn scoffs, shaking his head. Wonshik pushes his lips out into a pout, droopy eyes staring down at the table in defeat. 

Sanghyuk wants to laugh at his friend’s poor attempt at being cute and finds his heart doing a funny little swoop instead. He licks his lips, pulling a little at his collar before sighing as he grabs a quill and a new sheet of paper. “Look, I’ll help you write a new one because you, my friend, are helpless and we’ll run out of paper if you keep messing up.”

Wonshik snaps his head up with pure joy, reaching over to pull Sanghyuk into a tight hug, muttering litanies of _thank you thank you thank you._ The younger male simply pats Wonshik’s shoulder, waiting for his friend to calm down. He never understood why his best friend even decided to court Jaehwan. Sure she wasn’t bad to look at, but she was also _a lot_ to deal with. Besides being obnoxiously loud, a bit _too loud,_ and not very ladylike, Jaehwan is also very strange. 

Sanghyuk huffs to himself, deciding not to voice his criticism of Wonshik’s choice, guiltily wondering every now and then is he this hard on Wonshik’s choice because...he isn’t Wonshik’s choice? Jaehwan was above all a nice and sweet girl...just on the eccentric side. He pushes his thoughts away and glances up at Wonshik, deciding if this is the person Wonshik wants to woo, then Sanghyuk would try his darndest to make it happen.

“Why don’t you start off by telling me some of the things you like about her? We’ll see how to incorporate that into the letter.”

The older male sighs, placing his elbow on the table, resting his cheek on the palm of his hand. He longingly stares off into the distance as he dramatically hums “She has a really nice smile, one that reaches up to her big, brown eyes. And she has all of her original teeth, all white and straight. Oh, and her eyes! They’re all round like a doe’s one! And she’s so pretty, Sanghyuk! She has the most perfect nose-”

“She has a really big nose.” Sanghyuk interrupts, blankly staring at Wonshik.

The older male glares at Sanghyuk, huffing. “Well then I like big noses.” Sanghyuk rolls his eyes, shaking his head in exasperation, as he bites his lips to prevent himself from blurting out loud that _I have a big nose too._

“Anyways,” Wonshik starts once more, pointedly looking at Sanghyuk as he clears his throat “she’s very soft, as if what I imagine it’d feel like to touch a cloud.” he dreamily concludes. 

Sanghyuk narrows his eyes, raising a brow “How do you know how soft she is?”

Right away Wonshik snaps his head at Sanghyuk, mouth opening and closing for a second before clearing his throat as he ignores the _scandalous_ implication of his friend’s question. “She has the _most beautiful_ voice I’ve ever heard. I just want to hear her sing the rest of my life Sanghyuk. Oh, and I love it when she draws! She drews this picture of me with charcoal and let me tell you, it was the most amazing drawing anyone ever did of me. And she looked so cute when she looked so concentrated, peeking a little tongue out, a line of charcoal smeared on her round cheek.” Wonshik gushes. Sanghyuk nods, hoping the quill doesn’t break from how hard he’s gripping it as the green-eyed-monster known as jealousy takes over him. 

  
  


Wonshik chuckles to himself before looking up at Sanghyuk “And she’s so funny. One time,” he pauses breaking out into a giggle once more “one time we were both walking in the park and she heard some dogs barking in the distance and she, you won’t believe this, she turned her head towards the direction of the dogs...and barked back!” Wonshik snickers while saying the story, slapping his hand against the table while wiping away the tear falling from one cheek. 

Sanghyuk watches his friend in awe as he unconsciously breaks into an adoring smile, his heart doing little cartwheels at the sight of his friend’s excitement. He bitterly looks down at the quill and empty paper, biting the inside of his cheek, swallowing the lump in his throat. 

Clearing his throat, Sanghyuk looks at his friend again before bringing up “Okay lover boy, can we get back to your letter?” Wonshik straightens up again as he attempts to hold his laughter behind his thinly shut lips.

Sanghyuk scoffs, affectionately rolling his eyes and saying “Idiot.” At least he’ll still have Wonshik as a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol this is an alternate universe to my last entry where Wonshik _isn't_ the worst while courting Jaehwan. My heart goes out to poor Hyukie :(


	6. Of Camellias & Cherry Tomatoes (Chabin)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Hakyeon/Hongbin (ChaBin)  
> Rating: G  
> Prompt: I know it's too late  
> Warning: Hongbin's dimples

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop-de-doo, Hongbin forgets Valentine's Day.

_ “Hakyeon! Hakyeon! Open the door Hakyeon!” _ Hongbin obnoxiously bangs on his boyfriend’s door, betting on the fact that even if Hakyeon hasn’t forgiven him, he’ll still open the door to avoid a noise complaint. “ _ Yeoniee,  _ baby  _ pleeeeaassseeee!”  _ he whines loudly enough that he swears he hears the neighbors across from Hakyeon’s apartment shout  _ what the fuck is that? _

The door is yanked open with a very displeased Hakyeon hissing “What do you want?!” 

Hongbin holds up a wrinkled card, wilted flowers, and container of cherry tomatoes; pretty much making the best of what was left at the 24-hour 7-eleven on Valentine’s Day night at 1:30 am...so morning of February 15th. Truthfully, Hongbin had the best intentions. He was going to buy this one large teddy bear Hakyeon was obsessing over the last time they went to the mall, even going as far as to circle February 14th on the calendar. Unfortunately for Hongbin, he completely forgot about this endeavor as soon as he circled the date, nodded to himself with pride, and walked away from the calendar. And that is how he ended up streaming on twitch for thirteen hours straight, letting his phone die in the process and missing all of Hakyeon’s fifty  _ Happy Valentine’s Day  _ and  _ love you so much _ text messages. 

The gamer gulps as his boyfriend folds his arms over his chest, giving Hongbin a deathly glare. 

Hongbin forces out a wide smile and hopes his dimples would help him get out of this mess, as it usually does. He clears his throat and thinks about the lines he repeated to himself continuously his entire jog here. “I know that it’s too late,” he starts off, not being able to finish as the older male simply rolls his eyes before shutting the door on Hongbin’s gaping face.

_ Welp, _ looks like the dimples  _ were not  _ enough this time. He sighs, placing his face against the door as he lazily paws the surface. “Baby please, I’m so sorry! I want to make this right! I love you!” he loudly proclaims. 

He shifts back when he feels the door open once more, not all the way though, as a warning that it can be shut again. “You’ve got thirty seconds.” Hakyeon informs him, raising an eyebrow.

Hongbin nods, sticking his gifts up as he rambles “I got you these camellias because I know they’re your favorite flowers and these cherry tomatoes because they remind me of you. Your cheeks get all cute and red like them whenever you blush...and they’re your favorite snack!” He pats himself on the back for not stuttering or cringing through his proclamation.

The older male looks at the contents in Hongbin’s hands, glancing back up at Hongbin as he deadpans “Really?” Scoffing before closing the door on the gamer’s face once more.

Hongbin’s heart drops, completely panicking as he wonders  _ oh no, it really is too late! I’m about to lose my boyfriend! _

The door opens once more, wider this time, as Hakyeon rubs his temples. Hongbin slaps the wide smile back on his face, tilting his face to the side as he presents his gifts, hoping his dimples will work their magic. Hakyeon sighs glancing at Hongbin’s presents, taking the flowers as he comments “First of all, these are not camellias, these are peonies.” shooting the gamer a pointed look before adding “And second of all, my favorite flowers  _ are not  _ camellias...they’re Peruvian lilies.” 

Hongbin opens his mouth in shock, stammering as he looks for the right words to say, his two brain cells dipping before he can think of a proper response. 

Hakyeon exhales as he takes the cherry tomatoes, a small grin forcing its way out as he mumbling “But I do love snacking on these,” he looks back at Hongbin, muttering “even though that shit about them reminding you of my cheeks is complete BS.” 

The gamer chuckles nervously, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly as he shrugs, “I’m sorry. Happy Valentine’s Day?”

Hakyeon stares at Hongbin for a second, sighing before completely opening the door, hand reaching out to pull the younger male in. “You’re lucky you have those fuckin’ dimples.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by that vixxtv where Hongbin almost eats all of Hakyeon's tomatoes *pleased smile* Left it short and fluffy ^_^


	7. My Answer is You (KenBin)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Hongbin/Jaehwan (KenBin)  
> Rating: G  
> Prompt: All that matters is you  
> Warnings: fluff (none)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jaehwan thinks Hongbin deserves the finer things in life. All Hongbin wants is Jaehwan.

“Jaehwan, baby please open the door.” comes muffled through the door along with some dull banging.

Jaehwan glances up towards the door from where he’s lying on the couch, lips pouted, eyes downcast. He sighs, setting the remote down on the table in front of him before getting up, fixing his thick black-rimmed glasses on his face. Slipping on his green slippers, he pads towards the door, knowing he probably looks like an absolute mess in the grey sweats he’s been wearing for the past two days, his dark brown hair messy and in disarray. Frowning, Jaehwan opens the door, finding a stressed out Hongbin rubbing the back of his head, pacing outside.

The redhead snaps his head up as the door opens, letting out a sigh of relief. “Jaehwan, finally. Baby I was starting to get worried.”

Jaehwan doesn’t open his door fully, opting to stand in the opening as he picks on the chipped grey paint, averting his eyes in guilt. “Hey.” he responds. “I’m sorry, I was asleep.” 

“I could hear the tv.” Hongbin rebuttals, placing his hands on his hips.

The brunet blinks up like a deer caught in headlights, his jaw-dropping slightly in surprise before responding “Oh I forgot and left the tv on.” 

“You were channel surfing; I could hear them changing.” the younger man deadpans, holding back an amused smile.

“Oh…” Jaehwan starts off, chuckling nervously. He opens his mouth to say something then presses his lips shut, trying to figure out what he should do next. “Do you wanna come in?” he blurts out, sheepishly smiling as he fully opens his door.

Hongbin holds back the chuckle in his throat, his lips curving into a lop-sided grin instead as he steps inside his boyfriend’s apartment. He shuts the door and turns back around to find a  _ mildly _ messy apartment. It’s not a pigsty but it is a lot more disorganized than the older male usually keeps it. He frowns, realizing that his boyfriend must have been sulking all weekend, clearly still hurt from Friday brunch date. The brunet is standing in front of his small round breakfast table, sweater paws holding the top of a chair. Hongbin can’t see his face, but he is certain the older male is pouting. 

He walks over to his boyfriend, arm wrapping around the other’s middle, nuzzling his cheek into Jaehwan’s neck. Jaehwan relaxes into his chest, sighing as his head rests against Hongbin's shoulder. Hongbin presses a deep kiss against the brunet’s cheek, chuckling as he mutters “Do you remember when we nearly broke this table while trying to fit it in through the door?” 

Jaehwan snorts, breaking into a giggle as he remembers how they were trying to maneuver it into the apartment after both of them whole-heartedly agreeing at the flea market that this would fit through the door easily. He frowns just then, thinking about the fancy mahogany table they had brunch on, polished and smooth, beautiful compared to his wobbly two seater table with scratches strewn throughout the surface. 

The younger male notices Jaehwan’s pout forming again, giving the brunet a quick squeeze with the arm still wrapped around his waist, fingers gently playing with the brown fringes. “Baby, what’s wrong?” he mumbles, despite already knowing what is bothering the older male. 

Jaehwan turns towards Hongbin, throwing one arm over the broad shoulders and wrapping the other one around the redhead’s midriff. He places his head at the crook of Hongbin’s neck, letting out a little whine. Hongbin soothingly rubs a hand up and down the older’s back, finger tangles into Jaehwan’s messy hair. “I think your mom’s right Kong.” Jaehwan finally says. 

Hongbin blinks in confusion, slowly pulling Jaehwan away. “What do you mean?”

A pout forms on Jaehwan’s lips, sad eye looking down as he mumbles “I’m not good enough for you.” 

Hongbin scrunches his eyebrows together, a bit perplexed that Jaehwan is even thinking this, a bit pissed off that his mother had the audacity to say this to the love of his life. “Sweetheart, that’s not-”

Jaehwan sniffles, shaking his head as he moves a hand over Hongbin’s lips, adding, “She’s right, Kong. I’m not. You’re freaking Lee Hongbin: heir to one of the biggest companies in the country! You deserve all of the finer things in life and what can I give you? A crappy second-hand table? An apartment with shitty windows with cracks in them?” He pulls his hand away to pick up his fogging glasses, dabbing away the tears welling in his eyes with the back of his sweater-covered hand, sniveling as he lets out a breathless chuckle when he notices the book shoved under the broken leg of the couch. He blinks up at Hongbin with a sad smile “You should choose your family, take over your mom’s company, marry one of those rich kids you grew up, like Wonshik who has his  _ ‘own personal yacht!’ _ ” Jaehwan grumbles to himself in a mocking tone. He frowns, mumbling “And at least they’ll know how to eat at fancy restaurants and won’t embarrass you by using the wrong fork.”

Hongbin just stares at his endearing boyfriend the whole time with an affectionate smile, biting in the inside of his cheek so he doesn’t pounce on the older male and leave kisses all over his face. “Jaehwan,” he starts off, waiting until the brunet looks up at him again. Hongbin presses his lips against Jaehwan’s pouty ones, his fingers gently pulling on the older male’s lips. 

Sighing into the kiss, Jaehwan’s shoulders relax as he moves his lips slowly against Hongbin’s mouth. The younger male pulls Jaehwan flush against his chest, arm snuggly holding him in place. They part with a sigh, Hongbin leaving several more pecks along the corner of his mouth and cheek. _“Jaehwan, Jaehwan Jaehwan,”_ the redhead mutters against his skin, chuckling as he stares into Jaehwan’s eyes with a revering smile, _“I love you_ _Lee Jaehwan,_ more than _anything_ in this entire world.” The older male gulps, pressing his lips together at this confession, moving his head to avert his eyes, but Hongbin’s hand moves down from the back of his head and holds his chin. He wordlessly coaxes Jaehwan to look at him again, the thumb tenderly brushing the chin. 

They lock eyes once more and Hongbin insists “I don’t care about fancy tables or mansions or stupid yachts. I don’t care if you use a salad fork for dinner or a dessert spoon for your soup.” His hand squeezes the older male’s soft waist as he implores, “All that matters is you; you’re the most important person to me, Jaehwan. No amount of money, no threats, no complaints will  _ ever _ convince me to leave you, because you’re all that I’ll ever want.”

Jaehwan’s mouth is agape as he blinks at his boyfriend, brown, glossy eyes staring at Hongbin with so much love, so much adoration that Hongbin nearly melts to the floor. And so, he feels that he should. Playfully scoffing, he presses a loud, smacking kiss against the older male’s cheek, narrowing his eyebrows as he asks through a teasing smile “And what’s this bullshit about I should marry Wonshik? That man is a menace and I’d rather live as a Buddhist monk in a monastery than marry that fool.” The complaint causes Jaehwan to snort, giggling through a sniffle. Hongbin bites his lips before adding, “And another reason I don’t want to marry him is…” he starts, slowly crouching down as Jaehwan’s eyes widen, “because” he distractly says, taking out the square box from his pocket “I...want to marry you.” he says in finality, popping the box open to reveal a single, silver ring.

The brunet’s jaw drops as he blinks several times, eyes shifting between the ring and Hongbin. He makes a choked noise, waving his sweater paws up and down beside him, gasping “I- Hongbin!” The tears brimming in his eyes now threatening to pour out. “Hongbin, what the hell are you asking me?”

The response makes Hongbin laugh loudly, his dimples forming on his cheeks as he raises both eyebrows in sincerity, “Lee Jaehwan, will you take pity on my soul and make me the happiest man alive? Will you marry me?”

It should be concerning, the noises coming out of Jaehwan’s throat combined with the tears running down his face, but the frantic nodding and arm flailing causes Hongbin to chuckle. 

“Is that a yes?” he asks cheekily, raising an eyebrow at his boyfriend.

Jaehwan groans, nodding as he yells, “Yes, you fool! Yes!” He pulls at Hongbin’s shoulder, pressing their lips together tightly, pushing the younger male until they both tumble onto the couch. The book slips out from under the broken leg, causing the couch to drop in one corner. Jaehwan yelps as Hongbin bursts out in laughter against the older male’s mouth, his arm tangled around the brunet and his lap full of his boyfriend, no,  _ his fiancé. _

* * *

“Hey Kong,” Jaehwan calls out, eyes still glued to the television, thumb playing with the silver band on his ring finger. Hongbin doesn’t look away from the screen, his fingers still absentmindedly scraping against Jaehwan’s scalp. 

“Hmm?” the younger male hums back.

Jaehwan pops his head up from his fiancé’s chest, doe-eyes wide as he asks with all seriousness “Should we hyphenate our last names?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A toast to the Lee-Lee couple


	8. The Life Aquatic with Kim Wonshik (KenVi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Wonshik/Jaehwan (KenVi)  
> Rating: G  
> Prompt: Even right now I'm crazy about you  
> Warning: none

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wonshik fights a fish to impress Jaehwan

Wonshik is smiling ear-to-ear as they walk into the aquarium. His gaze is focused on his date’s face, Jaehwan bouncing on his feet in excitement as he giggles. They enter the exhibition which is solely illuminated by the blue hues from the water surrounding them and the safety lights on the sides of the floor. 

The younger male feels giddy inside when Jaehwan clasps his hands with Wonshik’s as they walk around the aquarium. Jaehwan blinks at the fishes, brown eyes widened in awe, his face lit up by the pretty hue of blue. The brunet makes cutesy faces at the fishes, alternating between puffing his cheeks while miming the fishies opening their mouths (with sound effects, of course), sucking in his chubby cheeks to make kissy faces, and jutting out his lower lip in a pout when the fishes ignores him: Wonshik thinks he’s in love.

_“Wahhh”_ Jaehwan exclaims in wonder when they move over to the shark conservatory, eyes following a shark as it moves up and above them. 

Wonshik kind of winces as he glances at the predator of the sea...directly above them. Truthfully, the younger male feels a little anxious to be closed in by all of these big fishes, the paranoid person in him imagining the entire glass collapsing on the two of them, the sharks having a field day. Of course, _if_ that happens, he’d sacrifice himself and shield Jaehwan. _But_ , he knows that’s not going to happen, straightening up his back for extra measure so Jaehwan doesn’t notice him being uncomfortable. The last thing he wants is for Jaehwan to find him lame or dramatic for being so worried, no matter how chivalrous he is in his paranoia-filled hypothetical situation.

“You okay?” Jaehwan asks, blinking at him with a hint of worry.

_Ah,_ clearly he couldn’t hide his uneasiness well enough. Wonshik chuckles, nodding, “Of course! Are _you_ okay?” he tries to joke, wincing when he realizes that came out defensive. “I mean, are you having a good time?” he corrects himself.

Jaehwan narrows his eyebrows, suspiciously eyeing the younger male before nodding, his worried expression morphing into a breathtaking smile. He opens his mouth to respond, then gets distracted by something over the taller male’s shoulder, rushing over to the glass and pressing his fingers against it. He turns to Wonshik with wide eyes, pointing at a stingray as he shouts “That’s the fish that killed that animal guy! His ray cut that man in the chest!”

Wonshik nearly whimpers hearing that, but opts on chuckling to hide his restlessness. “Oh yeah! It is!” He reaches out for Jaehwan’s hand again as the bubbly brunet says he sees a jellyfish in the distance, pulling Wonshik towards it. Wonshik dares to look up at the glass encasing one more time, gulping when it becomes dark for a second from the shadow of a big shark swimming by.

Eventually they make their way upstairs, hands still locked as they stop at the shop for some ice cream. Wonshik has a dopey smile on his face, gaze almost completely occupied with Jaehwan as his date _cutely_ licks the ice cream off of his spoon. The brunet turns towards Wonshik to say something then pauses, gasping “Wonshik, your ice cream!” 

Wonshik raises his eyebrows to see that his ice cream is dripping out of his cup and down his fingers. “Oh shit!” he hisses to himself, holding the cup away from his shoes. The taller male was so preoccupied watching Jaehwan eat his ice cream, that he hadn’t even realized his one was melting.

He frantically looks around for somewhere some paper towel, mentally berating himself for embarrassing himself in front of his date. Within a second, Jaehwan reaches out for the younger male’s wrist, head ducking slightly as he licks the melted cream off of his fingers. It happens rather fast, but Wonshik finds his cheeks warming up as he takes a sharp inhale of breath, feeling every single second of the lick. 

Jaehwan’s eyes widen when he reaches the top of the hand, blinking up at Wonshik, his tongue still out dressed in melted white. He gasps, pulling his tongue back in and shutting his mouth, _swallowing_ the contents in his mouth. Wonshik thanks the gods he decided to wear loose sweatpants to this date.

The older male lets out a nervous chuckle, biting his bottom lip, “I’m sorry, that was probably weird” He rubs the back of his head sheepishly, shrugging, “I didn’t want the ice cream to go to waste.” 

Wonshik nods, feeling a sudden moistness on his chin, immediately shutting his mouth. Only then does he realize that his mouth was open the entire time (and that he was freaking drooling). He lets out a goofy smile, hoping it would mask his awkwardness (and the semi in his pants) and he reaches out with his clean hand for Jaehwan’s hand once more. 

After cleaning up his hand and finally finishing their ice cream, the pair explore the rest of the aquarium, ending up at a koi fish exhibition. Wonshik feels a thousand times more relaxed up here, in the open exhibit. He sighs, feeling at zen as he takes in the gentle sound of the artificial waterfall, the soothing harp music playing in the distance, the cute boy’s tight hold around his hand. 

Jaehwan’s eyes wanders, peering down at the colorful fishes. He pauses suddenly, cooing at a particular red and orange fish, flopping a bit slower than the rest. “Oh Wonshik, look how cute that one is!” he exclaims. Wonshik glances at the fish for a second, moving his attention back to the brunet’s face, watching in awe as Jaehwan pouts his lips out at the fish, murmuring, “Aww, he can’t swim like the rest of them...he’s so cute.” He turns to Wonshik with the same pout, “I love him.”

Wonshik feels his heart doing a funny somersault. Suddenly, a chaotic thought comes up in his head, a blinking light bulb moment. “Do you want it?” he blurts out before even thinking twice. 

The older male blinks, confused. “Huh?”

_Of fuck, why’d I say that?_ Wonshik ponders. Instead of laughing it off, saying he’s joking, he peers down at his empty soda cup then staring at the fish, turning towards Jaehwan again with new found determination. “Do you want me to grab it for you?” he doubles down. 

Jaehwan opens and closes his mouth, looking at the fish then back at Wonshik. “Uh...I don’t think they’ll sell the fish.”

“No, that’s okay. I’ll grab it for you!” Wonshik whispers, looking around to make sure no one sees him scheming as he holds his empty cup up. “I’ll slip the little buddy into this cup with the water.” His last remaining rational brain cell is telling him to abort the mission, to stop talking, _shut the fuck up, for fuck’s sake!_ But Wonshik doesn’t, licking his lips before adding “We can buy a little fish bowl or home aquarium for him.” He immediately bites his tongue, realizing he just said _we_ ...implying _they_ should “adopt” then “raise” this fish...together. _Oh fuck,_ Jaehwan is so not going to agree to a fourth date with him.

He immediately back tracks, chuckling “I mean then you can take him home...or if you don’t want to, then I’ll take him home and you can visit him...or her? Do fishes have sex? What’s the correct term to even use? I don’t know. Haha.” Wonshik babbles, getting worried from the lack of a response from Jaehwan.

Jaehwan stares at him pensively, as if the gears in his head are turning, he tilts his head before asking “You’d do that for me? Steal a fish from the aquarium?” The amusement is clearly evident in his question.

Wonshik gulps, nodding, “Of course...if you’d like that.” He can feel his brain cell actively sighing, giving up on him completely.

The brunet glances down at the fish, moving around in a circle, pressing his lips together. “How are you gonna do it?” he curiously asks Wonshik.

“Uh…” Wonshik responds, slightly taken off-guard. He narrows his eyes to see if his legs are long enough to step to the rocks and plants against the wall of the exhibition, pointing at them and saying “I’ll put one foot there then reach out for the little guy, grab him and some water into the cup.”

Jaehwan eyes him hesitantly, gnawing on his bottom lip, “I don’t know Wonshik...do you think you can do that? What if someone comes?” 

Wonshik nods frantically, eyes wide as an attempt to assure his date. “I’ll be quick!” 

The brunet lets go of his lips, Wonshik’s eyes naturally honing in on the plush, pink. He shakes his head and smiles. “Okay?” 

Jaehwan sighs, breaking out into a shy smile and nodding. “Okay.”

Wonshik grins widely, walking over to the edge, scoping the distance slightly before pushing one leg out and stepping on the rocks, essentially standing over the small water-way the koi fish are swimming in. He sighs, looking at Jaehwan’s fish, standing next to the rocks. Wonshik takes a deep breath, glancing back at Jaehwan to find the brunet nervously watching him. The older male shoots him a supportive smile and raises up two thumbs. 

He nods back, turning and looking down at the fish again. “All right…” he goes, reaching down with his open cup, a hand reaching out for leverage against the wall as he bends down. The lower he bends, the more he feels his muscles stretching. Taking in a steady breath, he moves the cup towards the fish, taking in some water and nearing the fish. As if noticing the cup, the fish quickly rushes away, not too far, but far enough that Wonshik would have to shift a little. “What the…” he finds himself muttering, eyes checking to see how much further he’d need to move his foot up.

Letting out an exhale, Wonshik steps a bit farther, _definitely_ appreciative that he opted to wear sweats instead of jeans today. The tip of his tongue peeks out from the corner of his mouth in concentration as he reaches down again, swooping at the water once more only for the fish to move away real quick. Within seconds, he feels the rocks moving away from under his foot, causing him to lose his balance. “Wh-whoa!” he shouts before falling face first into the water. He immediately sits up, spitting out the water in his mouth as he blinks away the droplets from his lashes, trying to accept that _this really just happened._

Jaehwan gasps, shouting “Wonshik! Are you okay?” as the brunet runs up to him. “Are you hurt?!” the older male whispers loudly, eyebrows clearly scrunched together in worry.

_The only thing hurt is my pride._

Wonshik gulps, seeing the fish nearly a foot away from him, little bubbles escaping its fish mouth. _Oh what the hell, I’m already in the freaking water_ he thinks to himself, practically charging at the fish with his cup, letting out a loud grunt as he misses it once more, the fish swimming away.

“Wonshik!” he hears Jaehwan shout, “Wonshik, come out! Forget the fish.” The younger male hears him, hears what he’s saying, but it’s too late, baby, Wonshik is in too deep. 

He narrows his eyes at the fish once more, watching it flicker away. _“Not on my watch.”_ he grits, letting out a loud warrior cry as he charges once more.

* * *

Wonshik watches miserably from his seat as he watches the manager instruct Jaehwan to stand against the wall before snapping a photo on the digital camera. The manager, whose name tag reads _Cha Hakyeon_ , clicks on some button and both of their “mugshots” print out immediately , the other office worker moving the photos under the “ _NOT ENTRY ALLOWED”_ board. Jaehwan walks back to him with a pout, eyes downcast with one arm folded over his chest, holding onto his elbow. He gives Wonshik a lop-sided grin as he sits down next to him. The taller male tries to sit up straight, wincing with his damp clothes making a sloshing, wet noise. He swears he hears Jaehwan snort, turning to find the brunet pressing his lips down tightly. 

Hakyeon has his arms folded over his chest as he walks over to them, his eyes narrowed and lips pursed. “We ask that you do not come back to our aquarium again. Your photos are entered into our database and you _will_ be denied entry. Security will be notified and you will be escorted off the premises. It would save a lot of embarrassment and trouble on both sides if you do not visit again.” He grits through a forced smile, despite looking like he’s seething inside. Jaehwan and Wonshik do not dare to say anything else, choosing to simply nod. The manager exhales deeply through his nose, motioning towards the security guard, some tall, broad kid as he says “Sanghyuk, please show these kind gentlemen out.” 

Wonshik feels his heart sink.

* * *

“Well that was an eventful date.” Jaehwan jokes, letting out a little snicker as the pair walk towards Wonshik’s car. A squelching noise can be heard with each step Wonshik takes, his shoes still heavy and soaking like the rest of his clothes. Wonshik has a sullen face, feeling absolute guilt for not only embarrassing his date, but getting Jaehwan freaking banned for something the brunet had no hand on. He cringes, further disappointed when he realizes that he smells like fish and it’s going to stink up his car… and Jaehwan is going to have to smell it the entire ride back.

He pauses suddenly, causing Jaehwan to stop in startlement. “Jaehwan I’m so sorry!” Wonshik blurts out, voice dripping with remorse, eyes refusing to look up at the brunet, instead digging a hole into his disgusting, wet shoes.

The older male blinks, tilting his head “Wha-”

Wonshik shakes his head, rambling as he flails his arms around, acutely aware that water droplets are flying as he does. “Look, I made a complete fool of myself and I embarrassed you, even got you banned from here! And I know how much you enjoyed it!” he groans, tossing his head back before turning back to look at the other. Jaehwan’s staring at him with slightly parted lips and an unreadable expression. Wonshik practically whines, licking his lips, “I’m so sorry. You probably don’t ever want to see me again, and I get it. For crying out loud I smell like a swamp. I just wanted to impress you and get you that fish but that such a stupid idea, I don’t know what came over mmm-” 

His words off by a pair of soft, plush lips pressing firmly against his own, fingers tangling into his dark hair and around the front of his t-shirt, pulling the sticky fabric away from his body. Wonshik blinks rapidly in shock, arms instinctively wrapping around the warm body in front of him, eyes naturally shutting as he kisses Jaehwan back, sighing in delight. Jaehwan pulls back with a smile, his hand moving from the back of Wonshik’s head to cup his face. “Wonshik you silly fool,” he starts off, clicking his tongue, “I really like you. Like, I _really_ like you.” the brunet giggles, staring into Wonshik’s eyes with so much adoration. 

The younger male gapes at Jaehawn, mouth opening and closing like those fishes, “I- really?” he asks, unconvinced. 

Jaehwan pouts teasingly, nodding as he presses a kiss on the corner of his lips, nuzzling his cheeks, muttering “Even though we had to get some ugly ass mug-shots taken, got escorted out by some high school punk, and you smell like a fish market,” he pauses laughing loudly as Wonshik groans. Both his hands hold Wonshik’s head in place as he pulls the taller male in for a deep kiss, pulling away with a sigh as he murmurs _“Even right now...I’m still crazy about you.”_

Wonshik finds himself cracking a smile, arms tightens around Jaehawn’s waist as he repeats _“Crazy about me?”_

“Of course! You were gonna steal a fish for me...then you _fought_ a fish for me, for my honor! Who says chivalry is dead?”

Wonshik guffaws at that, pressing a firm peck against the older male's cheek. "I'd fight _a hundred_ fish for you." he jokes back.

The brunet bites his bottom lip against a coy grin, nodding as scrunches his nose “But you really do need to take a shower.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse the typos! I promise to take care of them once I reread them lololol I'm just really tired right now. Think of this as a crack-fic? *nervous laugh*


	9. The Timing of It All (Neo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Taekwoon/Hakyeon  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: I knew it, but I've fallen for you again  
> Warning: impending character death; angst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.

Soothing music plays in the grand hospital lobby, as Taekwoon waits for the elevator, eyes staring blankly ahead as he tries to blink away his drowsiness. He knows the music is meant to provide a gentle, calming ambience for patients and visitors alike, but the harp and piano sounds make him feel uneasy, to the point even hearing those instruments outside of the hospital makes him feel queasy. Perhaps it has to do with the harsh memories he they bring up: accompanying his husband for the first round of chemo, sitting in dead silence in the lobby after the doctor told them _“Sorry, there’s nothing else we can do,”_ holding back his tears as he rushes through the lobby after saying goodbye to Hakyeon, unsure if this will be the last time he sees him.

Taekwoon rotates his head, trying to push away the kinks in his neck. It’s hard enough that he can’t fall asleep as it is, but his quick power naps in his car are worsening his tiredness. He straightens his back when the elevator stops at _3,_ bouncing slightly on his feet as it moves to _2._ He quickly glances down at the bag he is holding, making sure nothing is dripping onto the floor. 

_Ping,_ the elevator door opens. Taekwoon waits for the people inside to step up, sighing as he walks in. He stops in front of the number pad, inhaling deeply to gather his energy, forcing out the biggest smile he can muster as he clicks on the dreadful _8._

* * *

Hakyeon moans loudly, making a show to roll his eyes back as the first lick of strawberry ice cream hits his tongue. Taekwoon watches with a raised eyebrow, scoffing. The older male glares from the bed, raising a thin eyebrow back. “Is there something funny?” he asks.

The taller male sitting in the visitor’s chair shrugs, shaking his head as he holds back a smile, picking up his own ice cream, “Nope, nothing funny.” He opens the lid as he gives the older male a coy smirk, “I’m just glad you didn’t lose your flare to be dramatic.”

“Oh, fuck you!” Hakyeon laughs back, taking another quick lick of his ice cream. “You don’t understand how long I was craving this shit.” he adds, pausing before swallowing the melted sweet in his mouth with a hum, eyes closing in content as if he were savoring every molecule. _Ahh,_ he gives a pleased sigh, happily staring down at the dessert. “I’ve missed you my sweet baby. No other brand can ever compare to you.” he coos to his ice cream container, placing a smooch on the container, the outline of his lip appearing on the condensation. 

Taekwoon puts a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth, eyes softening as he watches this silly interaction. He feels a pull at his heartstrings, taking in the wholesome moment in front of him, seeing how chirpy Hakyeon is feeling, the few moments of enjoyment a small serving of ice cream is providing. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he’s thankful he can pretend it’s ice cream. 

The older male glances over at Taekwoon shaking his shoulders in a dorky but endearing happy dance, the dullness of the dark circles under his eyes outshined by the bright smile he forces out. “Thanks for smuggling this in Wooniee.” he whispers to his husband with a wink, like it’s some big secret, like Hakyeon’s nurses weren’t ecstatic to see Taekwoon stride in with a snack Hakyeon might finally _want_ to eat. He coughs for a second, shaking Taekwoon away as he takes a sip of water, humming as he moves his attention back to his ice cream.

He doesn’t point any of that out, instead choosing to smile in return, replying “Anything for you.” And he means it. Truthfully Taekwoon is thankful to have a _good day,_ not just for himself but for Hakyeon’s sake. He couldn’t bear to see the older male lying in bed, miserable and in pain. These are the days he hopes to remember, the moments he hopes to look back towards when the inevitable happens. Taekwoon tries not to think of _that_ impending day whenever he is with Hakyeon, because he is constantly thinking about it when he’s by himself. But it’s difficult, pushing that thought away completely. He plays with the ice cream inside of his container, occasionally eating some of it to distract himself.

Hakyeon looks up at his husband, that serene smile still on his face as he purses his lips. “Can I ask you something?” 

Taekwoon doesn’t look up as he licks his spoonful of ice cream clean, shrugging as he responds “Shoot.”

He doesn’t get a response, at least not for the next minute as he continues fiddling with the dessert in the bottom of his container. He glances up to find Hakyeon staring at him with a suspicious grin, licking his lips before asking “The day you found out...well that day I told you about...this...you were planning on breaking up with me, right?” 

Taekwoon’s eyes widen as he hears that question. He completely sits up opening and closing his mouth in shock. It’s true: Taekwoon was going to leave Hakyeon. He asked Hakyeon to meet him at the cafe in the corner of their street. He was going to tell Hakyeon that he found someone else, someone that makes him feel alive and happy, someone that he can see himself falling in love with. 

Admittedly, he may not have been in love with Hongbin at that time, but he sure wasn’t in love with Hakyeon, having fallen out of love a while ago. Ten years is a long time together and they both had grown to be different people, needing different things. Taekwoon was going to say all of this and how despite not having these feelings for Hakyeon anymore, he wishes the older male nothing but happiness for the rest of his life, happiness that he cannot find with Taekwoon. 

Taekwoon _was_ going to say all this…until he saw how distraught and distracted Hakyeon was...until Hakyeon broke down and told him that he had just come from his doctor’s appointment.

And here he is, sitting across from Hakyeon nearly a year later, everything different. Taekwoon clears his throat, ready to shake his head when Hakyeon sticks his hand out, looking away to the side in mock-seriousness as he says “May I remind you that as a sick, dying man I deserve to be respected and told the truth. I’m a tough cookie and no matter how harsh the truth may be, I can handle it.” 

Hakyeon always had such a way with words, making Taekwoon blink in awe. He lets out a breathless chuckle, feeling his heart swell with both adoration and melancholy. Taekwoon decides Hakyeon is right; as much as he doesn’t want to hurt his husband, the older man deserves to know the truth. 

Chewing on his bottom lip, Taekwoon finally nods, sighing as he says “Yes, it’s true.”

“You were going to leave me?”

Taekwoon feels bile crawling up his throat as he takes in a deep breath, nodding “I was going to tell you it might be best if we did.” 

Hakyeon hums, nodding as he stares at his feet, a pensive look on his face. “Did...did you only stay because you felt bad I was sick?”

The taller male shakes his head, scooting his chair closer as he moves out the ice cream container from Hakyeon’s hand, placing it on the nearby tray. He holds Hakyeon’s hand as he says “It’s true that you being sick stopped me from saying it out loud, but I didn’t stay because I felt bad. I stayed because I cared for you Hakyeon, cared so much, and I still care so much. I had loved you once and I love you now.” 

Hakyeon stares down at Taekwoon’s hand, a small smile appearing on his lips. He scrunches his eyebrows as he asks “Why do that to yourself? Why put yourself through being with me when you know…” he doesn’t look up as he leaves the last part unsaid. 

Taekwoon doesn’t ask him to finish it. Instead he sadly grins, reassuring “I knew it, but I’ve fallen for you again.”

The older male looks back at Taekwoon with a snort, holding back a goofy laugh as he shakes his head. 

They stare at each other for a second, not exchanging any words, taking in this time, savoring this moment. Hakyeon breaks the silence with a chuckle, throwing his head back as he laughs with vigor and energy Taekwoon hadn’t seen in weeks. The shorter male shakes his head, snickering as he motions for his ice cream, taking it from Taekwoon’s hand as he teases “You’re timing was always so impeccable,” no real bite to his tone, only endearment, “but you always come in clutch with my fancy ice cream and I love you for that.” He moves to place a peck on Taekwoon’s lips before diving back into his dessert.

Holding back a chuckle of his own, Taekwoon places a kiss on his husband’s free hand, smiling with a sigh as he watches the older man enjoy his dessert. “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by the segment ["Bastille"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fADHa-fCo4Y) from the film _Paris, Je T'aime_.


	10. One Silver Dollar (HaKen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Jaehwan/Hakyeon (HaKen)  
> Rating: M (Mature/R)  
> Prompt: I can't stop  
> Warning: war-related themes; character death; violence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by _Inglorious Basterds_  
>  Some lines are (almost) word-for-word from the movie lol  
> Please excuse any typos and historical inaccuracies. I've researched a few things, but I know how obviously inaccurate the basic premise of this is lol

Jaehwan sighs as he steps outside, swiping up his dark brown hair before slapping his charcoal, flat cap over his head, the tweed providing some much needed protection against the sharp, chill breeze of a January evening. He makes sures the suspenders of his pants are snuggly fit over his brown and plaid shirt, shivering as the thin shirt and underlying grey t-shirt don’t do much to keep him warm. Throwing the burlap rag on the pavement, he rushes back in to grab his worn-out black coat, squinting up at the dark sky as he walks outside once more, surprised, but thankful, that it isn’t snowing. Picking up his pail full of alphabet pieces, he glances up at the ladder currently resting against the marquee of the theater. He takes a deep breath of cold air before climbing up.

Placing the pail carefully on the second step, Jaehwan begins to diligently take off the letters spelling out the film’s name, the sourness in his mouth dissipating with each letter he carefully chucks down to the rag below, pleased to see the title of propaganda film becoming smaller with each passing second, already dreading the next title he will have to put up once he’s done. He is so preoccupied that he doesn’t even hear the footsteps approaching below, nor does he notice the man observing him in silence.

“What will be playing tomorrow?” comes a friendly inquiry from below. 

Jaehwan shoots a confused, cursory glance over his shoulder, finding a man around his age standing there with a wide smile, his pretty lips and gorgeous bone structure accentuated by the marquee’s lights. Jaehwan almost finds his jaw dropping, eyes widening at how attractive the stranger is. _Almost._ The man’s black hair neatly tucked under an olive service cap, the rest of his person dressed in _that_ khaki uniform. 

Jaehwan’s lip twitches slightly, but he doesn’t bite. “A Kajiro Yamamoto festival.” he plainly answers. 

“Ah,” responds the man, still smiling as he follows up “So is this yours?”

“What? The theater?” Jaehwan asks dismissively, barely turning his attention towards the stranger below. 

“Yes, the theater!” the man chirps, a hilt of interest genuinely pressing through. 

The brunet doesn’t bother turning around as he blankly responds “Yes.” 

He hears the soldier let out a small chuckle, pondering loudly “Wow, it is? You’re so young. How’d you become the owner of this place.” 

The theater owner hums, not bothering to look down “My aunt and uncle left me this when they passed.” 

“Oh, I see.” the soldier states, taking in a breath as he continues “Well, I just wanted to say, I absolutely love the movies. I particularly enjoyed Orson Welles’s _Citizen Kane._ You must’ve seen that one, well of course you have: you own the theater. The ending ‘ _rosebud,’_ ahaha.” the soldier rambles. Jaehwan scrunches his eyebrows together slightly, shooting a glance over his shoulder as the man continues to babble. “Of course, I’ll admit after seeing Akira Kurosawa’s debut, I think those Americans will have some major competition in film. He’ll change film forever.” He chuckles, eyes peering up at the theater owner. 

Jaehwan does not respond, carefully picking off each letter and throwing it on the rag below. The soldier licks his lips, smiling as he says “Thank you for hosting a Japanese film night.” 

The brunet pauses momentarily, looking back momentarily, as he responds through a tight-lipped smile, “I don’t really have a choice...but you’re welcome.” He doesn’t wait for the other to respond to his quip, returning to his task. Jaehwan knows full well that offending the soldier can lead to some big trouble, both immediate and in the near future. But he doesn't care about those consequences at the moment; he’s cold and he just wants to finish putting up the signs for the new films and go inside instead of being pestered by some Imperial soldier. 

He hears the soldier hum below, saying with a lilt in his voice, “Well it’s still nice to find someone who appreciates the films, even if they don’t want to play it.” 

Jaehwan doesn’t hold back the scoff this time, nearly rolling his eyes as he glances down at the still-smiling soldier, “I may involuntarily play these movies in my theater, but that certainly does not mean I appreciate, much less enjoy them.” The theater owner keeps his eyes on the stranger for a second, the stranger refusing to look away. Jaehwan reaches down to his pail and starts pulling out the letters to put up the new display.

Nodding, the soldier purses his lips out as he tilts his head, a grin gracing his face, “Well even if you don’t appreciate the movie, I can see that you must still appreciate the direction of Hiroshi Shimizu.” Jaehwan’s hand freezes, jaw stiffening as the man continues to talk, “Why else would you still put his name on the marquee when the director’s name isn’t necessarily required?” 

The brunet stares blankly at the marquee in front of him, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. He opens his eyes and starts to climb down once more, his patience spread too thin this evening. He turns to face the man once he reaches the pavement, annoyance heavy in his mind, but even so admitting the man is rather handsome up close. Despite this, he keeps a straight face as looks the man up and down, mentioning “Your Korean is pretty good for a Japanese soldier.”

_“Officer,”_ the man swiftly corrects, before adding “You think so?” He throws his head back in a chuckl. Jaehwan doesn’t understand what’s so funny. The officer looks back at him with a wide, proud smile. “That’s because I am Korean.” 

Jaehwan nods, “Oh.” he says, pressing his lips together tightly to hold back the snarl growing at the back of his throat _._ He instead turns towards the letters on top of the burlap rag, collecting the corners to pick them all up together, depositing it in the bigger bucket he brought. 

He hears the _traitor_ shuffling behind him before finally asking “B-but you’re not done?” 

The question makes Jaehwan roll his eyes, trying to understand 1) how the man lacks this much self-awareness or 2) how the man notices that Jaehwan is not interested and _does not care_ because he can do whatever the fuck he wants. The theater owner shrugs, yelling over his shoulder as he walks towards the theater’s door “I’m going to finish tomorrow. You have a good night officer.” 

The officer stares after him in hesitation, licking his lips before he shouts “What’s your name?” 

Jaehwan halts, nearly letting out a groan as he sets the big bucket down, walking back towards the man. “Would you just like to see my papers, Officer? Would that be satisfactory enough?” he asks, passive-aggressiveness lingering with every word. 

The man, however, does not mention that. He’s smiling brightly as he takes the paperwork, moving to the page with Jaehwan’s black and white photo, his name scribbled in hangul beside it. An easy grin spreads across the officer’s _handsome_ face, as he glances up at Jaehwan. _“Lee Jaehwan.”_ he tries out, a soft chuckle following it. Jaehwan pushes his lips out in exasperation, giving a tired nod. “That’s a nice name: Jaehwan.” The man adds as he hands the paperwork back, Jaehwan _really_ trying hard not to roll his eyes. Smiling, the officer introduces himself, “I am Cha Hakyeon.” 

Jaehwan is folding his paper up, glancing up at the other male for a second nodding. “Okay.” 

Hakyeon blinks at Jaehwan, slightly faltering at the lack of a further response. The theater owner looks up in confusion, wondering why Hakyeon is still here, why he’s looking at Jaehwan like that, why he hasn’t left yet. Hakyeon instead shakes his head, a wide grin gracing his face once more as he softly says “Well, I wish you a good evening, Lee Jaehwan.” 

The brunet scrunches his eyebrows, staring at the officer as he responds “Likewise.”

Hakyeon’s still smiling as he gives a final nod, turning around and walking away towards the street. Jaehwan watches the man’s retreating back, becoming encompassed by equal part hate and equal part uncertainty. 

* * *

Jaehwan doesn’t always have a day off, spending most of his days working round the clock on his theater, if not dealing with tickets at the box office or controlling the reel in the projector room then working on maintenance throughout the large building. Every now and then his best employee, Wonshik, will push him out of the building, telling him to go relax a little or read a book. So here Jaehwan is: seated comfortably in a theater, cigarette in hands, a book in his clasp. He does take Wonshik’s suggestion and does relax until he hears a wrapping coming from the window of the cafe.

Cha Hakyeon waves at him excitedly, still sporting that betraying khaki uniform, silly little hat still placed over his head. The officer points towards the entrance of the door, swiftly moving towards it, just as Jaehwan throws back his head in exasperation, a groan leaving his throat. The officer appears in front of him within seconds, politely taking his army hat off as he stands in front of Jaehwan. He runs a hand over his short jet-black hair, a wide grin already forming on his face

“Hello Jaehwan. Fancy seeing you again!” he starts, pointing to the seat across from the theater owner as he asks “May I join you?”

Jaehwan’s head is still pressed against the wall from when he threw it back, eyes flicking up at Hakyeon, face remaining expressionless. He sits up with a sigh, his hand picking up his cigarette from the ashtray, moving his attention back to his book. “Look Officer Cha,”

“Hakyeon!” the man implores, encouraging Jaehwan to drop the formalities, while narrowing his eyes in a teasing manner, “But I’m glad to see you remember my name.” 

The theater owner does not bother looking up, his eyes already skimming through the book despite not necessarily taking in any of the words. “Well, _Hakyeon,”_ Jaehwan emphasizes, glancing up at the officer for a second before moving back down “you seem like a nice guy-”

“Why thank you!” the officer interrupts, rousing Jaehwan to look up for a second before moving his attention back to his book. 

“You’re welcome, but frankly, I’m not interested and I’d appreciate it if you could leave me alone.” he ruthlessly states in the _politest tone_ he can. 

The officer’s smile morphs into a look of hurt confusion, waiting for the brunet to look up, realizing that Jaehwan is not planning on it. He presses his lips together, staring at the seated male. “Because of my uniform?” he asks, further adding “I am more than just an officer, you know.”

Jaehwan nearly scoffs, looking up at the officer as he responds “Not to me you’re not.” eyes scrutinizing as he looks the man up and down, tilting his head with a lop-sided grimace, holding back the word _traitor_ against his tongue. “All I can see is a man who voluntarily joined a regime forcefully ruling over us.” The theater owner looks back down at his book, _waiting_ for this man to leave, anxious over what hell the officer would bring upon in retaliation.

Hakyeon narrows his eyebrows, finding the accusation a bit harsh, letting out a breathless chuckle as almost reaches out for the brunet when another Imperial officer speeds up to him. Noticing the superior, Hakyeon immediately moves to attention, his boots snapping so harshly Jaehwan winces in shock. 

_“You’re Cha Hakyeon?!”_ the other officer asks in Japanese, albeit rhetorically; the man dressed in a collar adorning ranks higher than Hakyeon’s ranking _already knew._ Hakyeon breaks out in a shy, knowing smile, nodding as he affirms the man’s curiosity. The other shoulder nearly shouts in excitement, his face lit up in elation as he says _“Oh my goodness!”_ He turns towards the woman and man he is here dining with, shouting _“It is him!”_ Turning back to Hakyeon, he reaches out for the lower ranking man’s hand, shaking it vigorously as he spews Japanese _“It is such an honor to meet you, Cha Hakyeon!”_

Jaehwan watches the interaction in bafflement, seeing the older man act like a fangirl around Hakyeon, the raven-haired Korean politely smiling and nodding in return. They speak in eased Japanese, a bit too fast for Jaehwan. Soon enough the man leaves, shaking Hakyeon’s hand once more, a giddy grin on his face. 

The officer is still holding back a smile as he turns towards Jaehwan, giving the movie owner a shrug. Jaehwan has the tip of his tongue pushing against the corner of his lip, head tilted, brows scrunched together. He finally asks “Who are you?”

Hakyeon raises an eyebrow, coy grin threatening to break out at any given second. “Oh, I thought I wasn’t more than a uniform.” he teases. 

_You’re not,_ Jaehwan thinks, but doesn’t say out loud. He watches the charming man in front of him; smooth sun-kissed skin over high cheekbones, warm welcoming eyes gentle yet alluring. Even Jaehwan must admit the man is attractive, but a soldier of a higher rank wouldn’t have fawned over him _simply_ for being good-looking. Jaehwan pushes his tongue against the inside of his cheek as he thinks, unsurprised when the man’s gaze follows the movement, swiftly looking away as soon as he notices the action, making eye contact with Jaehwan in politeness. It almost makes the brunet laugh.

Clicking his tongue, Jaehwan shakes his head. “You’re not a regular officer...are you somebody’s son?”

The officer has the _audacity_ to smirk, teasing glint boring into Jaehwan’s eyes as he says “Most Koreans are someone’s son.”

Jaehwan’s lip twitches, the words ‘ _you consider yourself to be Korean?’_ right at the tip of his tongue. Before he can respond a couple rushes over to Hakyeon, introducing themselves and speaking in fluent Japanese. Hakyeon bashfully laughs at whatever they’re saying, the smile on his face reaching his eyes as he signs an autograph for the couple. Jaehwan cocks his head as the scene unfolds, dumbfounded as the woman nearly swoons when Hakyeon simply glances her way. The word _hero_ comes up in the conversation a couple of times, each time Hakyeon looking away despite _basking_ in the compliment. Jaehwan purses his lips as the gears in his head move, understanding that Cha Hakyeon isn’t just an officer, but a celebrated hero.

The officer bids goodbye to the couple, the pair rushing off with their acquired signature, gushing to each other as they wave at Hakyeon. The soldier has a pleased smirk, eyes shifting to Jaehwan as he feigns tiring bafflement. “I’m so sorry for that interruption.” he cooly says, pulling out the seat in front of the theater owner and sitting down, as if he were _already_ sitting there on a date with Jaehwan. If Hakyeon weren’t an Imperial soldier in that awful khaki uniform, Jaehwan would have commented on how smooth the man is.

Sighing in mock exhaustion, Hakyeon places his hat on the table, folding his hands neatly on top of them as he motions at the woman at the counter for a cup of coffee. The brunet does not say anything as the cafe owner brings Hakyeon a cup, the other male politely thanking her before moving his attention back to Jaehwan.

With no preamble, Jaehwan simply asks “So what made you a war hero?”

Hakyeon lets out a shy chuckle, sighing as he starts “Well...during a battle, I was the sole soldier left in the town, stuck on a bell tower as over three hundred enemy soldiers surrounded me; the lone sniper in a bird’s nest defending the city.”

Jaehwan eyes the soldier, biting the inside of his lip as he asks “How many did you end up killing?”

The officer’s smile remains as nods “Well, only seventy...on the first day.” Jaehwan’s eyes widen slightly hearing that quip. Hakyeon is still grinning, his eyes becoming slightly dark as he adds “On the second day…” Hakyeon pauses, holding up two index fingers, teasingly eyeing Jaehwan with a smirk before saying “one hundred and ten.” The brunet finds his lips parting, heart clenching as he hears that. The officer’s smirk shifts to a leer, an almost malevolent look to his face as he continues “And fifty two on the third day. By the fourth day, they had left. Naturally, my story made headlines in Japan, which is probably why they all recognize me.” Hakyeon shrugs, as if he hadn’t just admitted to Jaehwan that all of these sycophants are fawning over the officer because he _solely killed_ over two hundred men.

Jaehwan doesn’t respond to that, unsure _how_ to respond to that. He feels a budding rage within him, his skin crawling at the proud sneer he feels from the other. Taking the remaining sip of his coffee, trains his eye on the other man, slowly swallowing the drink as he tries to de-escalate his anger. He watches the officer eyeing his throat as he does, gaze zoning into Jaehwan’s throat. He sets the cup down and looks back up at the other, remarking with a tight-lipped grin, “Wow, they should make a movie about you.”

Hakyeon’s eyes perk up, shifting slightly closer as he mentions “Oh they did!”

The brunet blinks, raising a brow “They have?”

With a timid laugh, Hakyeon nods, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly as he clarifies “Yes, they uh...well we finished filming just last month.”

“We?” Jaehwan asks.

Hakyeon licks his lip, assertively grinning as he replies “The director wanted to meet me before creating the film and when she saw me...well she _insisted_ that I play myself, something about no other actor can emulate my natural charisma or charm. So I did.” he nonchalantly shrugs, proud smile full on display, warm eyes enticing eyes focusing on Jaehwan. “It’s going to be called _Empire’s Pride,_ set to be released this upcoming month. Of course, they’re still deciding where to have the premier exactly with most people inclining towards Japa-”

_“Empire’s Pride…”_ Jaehwan cuts the officer off, burning a hole into Hakyeon’s forehead, gritting his bottom teeth as he remarks, “So you are starring as a Korean-born man who _voluntarily_ fought in the Japanese army against the _Empire’s_ enemy? Fought for the _Empire’s_ pride?” The theater owner has an eyebrow raised, scoffing as he stands up from his seat, removing his charcoal flat cap from his coat’s pocket and placing it over his head. “Well I wish you good luck with the premier and promising film career.” The officer’s smile drops, eyes widening as he reaches out for Jaehwan, the brunet already stepping towards the door as he shouts “Good bye.” to the soldier.

* * *

The restaurant is filled with chatter in Japanese and Korean alike, the occupants predominantly consisting of Japanese soldiers, either here for official meetings or laughing through a round of drinks with their arms around a pretty, young thing’s waist. Jaehwan isn’t sure what exactly he’s doing here, or perhaps a more accurate phrasing would be why he has been _summoned_ to this place? The movie owner was on top of his ladder, cleaning the marquee when two Imperial soldiers pulled up in a jeep, insisting that Jaehwan come with them before they stopped _insisting._

He follows one of the soldiers, who in turn is following a waitress, as he is led to a table with a high-ranking officer, a suave Japanese woman dressed in a red dress while sporting black sunglasses, and one Cha Hakyeon, the latter beaming when he notices Jaehwan.

“Jaehwan! How nice of you to join us!” he exclaims, standing as he pulls out the chair next to him for Jaehwan, as if there isn’t a lower ranking soldier or wait staff that could do it for him. 

“Well, your officers didn’t give me much of a choice.” he mumbles to himself, pretty sure no one else heard him.

Hakyeon grins from ear-to-ear as he turns to the other ‘party-guests,’ introducing the brunet in fluent Japanese, sitting in his chair with perfect posture, wearing his uniform with such sophistication, with such _satisfaction._ Jaehwan hears Hakyeon tell them who he is and that he owns a _grand_ , or is it _the grandest_ theater in Seoul. The theater owner glances around the restaurant, still unsure what exactly he’s doing here and why Hakyeon is excitedly describing his theater. It’s once Hakyeon is done speaking that the entire table stares at him. 

Jaehwan finds himself shifting in his seat, feeling a bit self-conscious and confused. The woman picks up a pre-lit cigarette from the ashtray, taking a smooth puff in, resting her elbow on the table, the death stick elegantly enclosed between her index and middle finger. She purses her lip to blow out the smoke, removing her shades as he stares at Jaehwan, the faintly present crows-feet on the corners of his eyes covered slightly by a layer of makeup. “Young man,” she starts off in fully Korean. Jaehwan finds himself sitting up straight, “my leading man here tells me you’ve got quite the theater, perhaps the most amazing one in all of Korea.” 

The theater owner gives Hakyeon a perplexed look, a bit surprised to hear that considering he hadn’t even seen the soldier inside his theater, only having met the guy a week ago. He looks towards the other to find Hakyeon knowingly smirking at him, his neatly styled hair up and away from his forehead. Jaehwan looks back at the woman, nodding as he gulps, “It is quite big and beautifully maintained inside. Even when I had inherited it from my aunt and unc-”

“I don’t need to hear your story.” the woman cuts Jaehwan off curtly, taking another puff of her cigarette as she narrows his eyes, “Hakyeon insisted that we have the premiere of my new film, _Empire’s Pride,_ in your theater.” she casually motions towards the brunet. “Personally, _I_ feel like a proper premiere in Japan would be much better, but my star’s _insistence_ changed to _threats_ soon after, demanding that we have the premier in your little theater or else he won’t attend the premier.” the director shrugs off, eyes nearly rolling from annoyance. 

Jaehwan gawks at the woman, turning towards Hakyeon to find the soldier sheepishly looking away. 

The other man lets out a chuckle, the ranks on his collar far higher than Hakyeon’s own, “And we can’t have a debut without our hero!” the man butts in with broken Korean, obnoxiously laughing before taking a swig of his drink. Hakyeon chuckles along with the man, _humbly_ shaking his words off. Jaehwan feels like recoiling when the man leans over with the ruse to offer him a cigarette, greedy gaze roaming over the brunet’s face as he mumbles “But after seeing the owner, I don’t blame him.” The older officer subconsciously licks his bottom lip, eyeing him as if he were the last piece of meat at a buffet. 

His hands tighten into little fists he wants to drive through the disgusting man’s face under the table, but Jaehwan knows better than to start a fight in a room full of Imperial soldiers. He turns to Hakyeon, having a hard time to push the scowl away, knowing full well that like his invite to this luncheon, premiering _Empire’s Pride_ at his theater was not a request; he is being _told_ that the movie will premiere there, whether he wants it to or not...just as he’s only allowed to show Japanese films in the theater as it is. Besides feeling his blood boiling from this act of oppression, he grits his teeth, anxiously wondering about all of the other preparations needed for a premier of a film, particularly one as big as _Empire’s Pride,_ from the sounds of it. “Well, Hakyeon, when were you-”

He’s cut off by a boistorours, obscene laugh, one shaking the entire table. The man currently playing with Jaehwan’s patience loudly remarks, switching to Japanese _“Hakyeon?_ Not Officer, not officer Cha, but Hakyeon? First name basis? I knew there was a reason we couldn’t get Hakyeon to budge.” 

Jaehwan watches the man entertain himself with his rambling for a second, moving his attention back to the war hero, as he repeats, “So when will the premiere be?”

The raven-haired man raises both of his eyebrows, swiftly wetting his bottom lip before glancing towards his director for a second, cheekily answering, “Well...we were thinking maybe a week from today? On February 14th?”

“Valentine’s Day?” Jaehwan deadpans, holding back the absolute _guffaw_ he is about to release. 

The gross officer on his left eagerly nods “What other perfect way for couples to spend a day of love then to go out and watch a film celebrating one of our national heroes?!” Hakyeon has a humble smile as he nods to the officer. 

And _that_ does it for Jaehwan, causing him to erupt in a brief fit of laughter, pressing his palms against his mouth to stop, choking at the chortles in his throat. He looks over to find the sniper staring at him with an open-mouthed smile, eyes completely captivated by Jaehwan’s laugh. The director, however, does not seem to find Jaehwan howling endearing one bit, harshly glaring at the theater owner as she barks, “This premiere is important, as it tells the story that celebrates the pride and determination of our people, of our empire; not just a marathon of old, dated movies or some double-feature of a trashy Hollywood film.” She picks her head up, nose pointing away as she adds “Some very important figures will come to watch this film, _my film._ Even our dear emperor will be in attendance.”

The brunet’s jaw nearly drops, owlishly blinking at the director. _Top officials...the emperor...their beloved killer war hero...all the fascists...all under his roof._ His mind goes wild in these thirty seconds, thinking about a million different things that can happen. He asks in a hasty voice, barely above a whisper “I...Hi...Hirohito will be at the premiere?”

“Have you lost your mind, so casually say his name like that? He is _His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor!”_ the woman scolds, glaring over at Hakyeon as if she were asking him _why does he not know this? Is this how he will act?_

The sniper sighs, a sound akin to disappointment as he bows his head towards the director and other officers at the table, shooting Jaehwan a quick discouraging look before _placing_ his hand on the brunet’s shoulder, giving it a first squeeze. He says in Japanese _“I apologize for his mistake; I will educate him on being more civilized going forward.”_

Even though Jaehwan isn’t fluent in Japanese, he understood how Hakyeon was saying those, the slightly condescending tone he has, the _need_ to show their tyrants that _I’m not like them, I’m better than them, and I will fix them for you._ He feels his skin crawling, his shoulder burning wear the officer’s hand is _still_ resting, still squeezing. The brunet grits his teeth, jaw clenching tightly so he doesn’t just snap his head towards his right and bite off the soldier’s fingers.

Hakyeon turns to him just then, the chagrin in his face picking back up to a relaxed grin, his hand slowly moving down from Jaehwan’s shoulder to his wrist below the table. The soldier brings his hand up, placing it on top of the table, firmling clasping it. Jaehwan _hates_ himself for the sudden rush of burning desire he feels at the contact, swallowing the lump in his throat as he eyes the man’s lightly tan hands over his own. Hakyeon lets out a chuckle, causing Jaehwan to look up “So as you can imagine, there are quite a few reserved seats we will require for our more special guests. I would love to come by sometime today or tomorrow to perhaps go over this in more detail with you, if that’s possible.”

Jaehwan holds back a scoff, pressing his lips into a thin smile as he responds “Sounds perfect to me.”

* * *

Wonshik splutters, shaking his head in disbelief as Jaehwan sends off the rest of his employees with their tasks, the owner already rubbing his temple as he tries to think of which painters he needs to contact for a quick repaint job of the lobby. The younger male waits for the other workers to be farther than an earshot away, unsuspectedly hissing at Jaehwan “You want to premier Cha Hakyeon’s glorified massacre in your theater?”

Jaehwan exhales in exasperation, mind already muddled and tired, head running through thousands of different ideas all while trying to make the theater look in perfect condition to host all of these officials. Because regardless of _Jaehwan’s motives,_ the theater needs to look presentable, an image needs to be kept. He turns towards Wonshik, snarling back at the employee “I don’t _want_ to premier his glorified massacre in my theater, but unfortunately Wonshik, my friend, I have _no choice.”_ He sighs, his anger mostly directed at the situation and not Wonshik.

The employee frowns, pitying his boss’s predicament: having to promote a gaudy, obnoxious war film in his own theater even as he risks his life drawing posters for the resistance at his home. Wonshik gives the older male a sympathetic lop-sided grin, a hand patting his back. “I’m sorry you have to do this.” he adds.

Jaehwan slouches his shoulder, leaning against the ticket counter as he looks up at Wonshik with tired eyes, the bottom of his eyes dark from all of the tossing and turning he did the night before. He was restless all night as his mind ran through different scenarios, of them working out _just_ as he plans, of the aftermath. He licks his lips as he narrows his eyes at Wonshik, not only his most trustworthy employee and loyal friend, but also a partner in the resistance, helping the brunet distribute his posters and art work. 

Biting his bottom lip, he inhales, giving a quick look to make sure no one else can hear them, “Well...I did want to mention this to you…” the owner starts off, tilting his head towards the employee, chewing on the inside of his cheek.

Wonshik blinks at his friend, raising his eyebrows to ask Jaehwan to go one. “Mention what?”

Jaehwan sighs, deciding to just come out and say it. “While initially I was frustrated to spend so much time and energy in playing a movie I’d much rather toss in the fire...I started looking for the silver lining. Then I realized, that I don’t really want to toss the film in the fire...I want to throw everything it represents in a fire...I want to burn down this entire regime.” he pauses for a second, licking his lips once more, pressing them tightly before continuing “I realized that _all_ of these important figures of the Imperial government, including _His Imperial Majesty,”_ he mentions mockingly “will all attend this premiere...right in this theatre...all at once.” 

The younger male scrunches his eyebrows at Jaehwan, not exactly understanding how this can be a silver-lining. “Is that good? I feel like that will be more of a problem, more soldiers, more tyrants to suck up to.” 

“Well, sure, but think about this,” Jaehwan brings up, eyes widening as he leans close to Wonshik, “they’ll all be _here...all at once._ ” Ignoring the younger male’s confused expression, Jaehwan leans close to the employee’s ear whispering, “What if something were to happen to all of these powerful men, at the same time?”

_That_ finally causes Wonshik to catch Jaehwan’s drift, eyes widening like saucers as he pulls away from the owner. “J-jae, are you suggesting…”

“Jaehwan!” they hear at a distance, causing the friends to look towards the entrance of the theater, Hakyeon, dressed in his full uniform, walking over towards them. A deadly smile laced with displeasure is plastered on his face. The brunet turns to Wonshik and rolls his eyes, motioning at his friend to leave, mouthing _we’ll talk later._ The younger male nods, giving a worried glance over towards the possibly _fuming_ officer as he walks away.

The brunet turns towards the man approaching him, forcing on a tight-lipped smile as he greets him. “Hello Hakyeon. Ready to go over the reserved seating chart?” not sparing a second for any small talk, strictly sticking to business. Hakyeon’s eyes are somewhere over Jaehwan’s shoulder, jaw stiffened, nostrils _slightly_ flaring. Jaehwan follows his gaze to see that he is glaring at Wonshik as the younger male sweeps the carpet in the distance. The theater owner looks back at the officer, “Hakyeon?” he calls out.

Within a second the officer’s attention is brought back to Jaehwan with a grimace, agitation pushing through his straight, gritted teeth. “If you don’t mind. I’m sorry if I was interrupting a moment between you and,” he shoots another glance up at Wonshik, expression full of displeasure, adding in a slightly bitter tone _“friend.”_

Jaehwan blinks at the officer, not even caring to correct any assumptions the soldier is making, clearly distraught with seeing Jaehwan so close to Wonshik. He is not dating Jaehwan and Jaehwan is not dating him: who the _fuck_ is he to get angry over this? He simply shrugs, responding “No worries,” absolutely ignoring the seething glare Hakyeon is giving him. “The seating chart?”

Hakyeon nods, inhaling through his nose as he looks around the theater, a small smile on his face as he brings up “I see that you’ve already put your employees to work. All for my debut, huh?” he teases.

The brunet blinks, same tight-lipped grin as he quips, “Well we can’t have the Emperor visit a run-down theater, now can we?” He lets out a quick sigh, looking at his wristwatch before glancing back at Hakyeon “So this seating chart.” It’s no longer a question.

After glancing around the lobby once more, eyes quickly shifting over to Wonshik for ten seconds, Hakyeon returns his gaze back at the brunet, charming smile on his face as he brings up “Why don’t we go to your office to work on this?”

Jaehwan raises an eyebrow, “My office?” In private? Alone from everyone else?

“Your office. I’m sure as the owner, you must have one here.”

The brunet doesn’t break eye contact as he responds, “Hakyeon, I’ve got a lot of things to take care of for your premiere and I’d prefer to get this chart done so I can tend to those. I don’t think I’ll be stepping into my office for a while.” 

Hakyeon stares at him with a scrutinizing look, a lop-sided grin on his face, staring as if he’s gritting his teeth “Sure, that’s fine by me.” he replies with a shrug.

“Excellent.” Jaehwan says in a monotonous tone, placing the clip board with the theater’s seating chart. 

The soldier gives him a list of names of everyone expected to attend, who needs to be seated together, which sections would be best reserved. Pointing to a specific seat he mentions “The director will sit right next to the Emperor here, and I” he says, gazing up at Jaehwan once more, moving his finger to the seat adjacent to the Emperor “will be sitting here.” 

Jaehwan nods, jotting the notes down. “All right, I will make sure that gets done. Thank you for dropping by.” he says, ready to turn around when he feels a hand on top of his wrist. He looks up to find Hakyeon smiling at him, the officer’s thumb brushing over his skin. Jaehwan gulps as he looks up.

The soldier sighs, tilting his head, “I was hoping you’d do the honor of sitting with me, on that empty seat next to me? Perhaps as my date to this premiere.” 

Jaehwan parts his lips slightly, not entirely surprised by this question but a bit taken aback by the suddenness, looking down at wear Hakyeon is still holding his hand. He subconsciously licks his lips, watching how Hakyeon’s gaze clearly catches the movement as he stares at the brunet’s mouth with concentration. “That sounds rather tempting, but unfortunately I’ll be up busy manning the projector.” he politely responds.

“You’ve got plenty of employees who can do that for you.” Hakyeon insists, tenderly squeezing his hand, thumb now caressing the inside of his wrist.

“I’d rather do it myself.” Jaehwan almost snaps, aggravated by the other man’s touch, forcing out a smile as he adds “I don’t want everything to go _perfectly.”_

“You take your job very seriously.” Hakyeon remarks, his grip remaining on Jaehwan’s wrist.

“Well, you put a lot of trust in me.” Jaehwan responds, not breaking any eye contact as his other hand moves towards the officer’s grip, breaking his captive wrist free from its hold. He gives Hakyeon a saccharine-sweet smile, adding “I look forward to your movie, Officer.” He doesn’t wait for a response as he turns and leaves the soldier at the lobby.

* * *

Jaehwan peeks through the small window of the projector room, keeping track of where in the film they are. If his predictions are correct, the scene of the film he cut and added his message to will come up in five minutes, the message which tells the audience that their tyranny is over, that it will end tonight. He made sure to include the resistance’s symbol, to ensure they knew who did this.

The ending of his message will signal Wonshik to throw a lit match to the nitrate film stock stacked up behind the screen while Jaehwan set the reel in the projector on fire as well. This would set the whole theater ablaze leaving Wonshik, and hopefully Jaehwan, a good minute or so to escape. The two have scoped out their best options and exit strategy, one that will not be known to the officials and fascists coming to watch this movie tonight, or at least not in time for them to escape. 

The brunet nervously chews on his bottom lip, a habit he had since childhood that he could not shake off even at the age of twenty-eight, while plotting to kill a theater full of the Imperial army’s top officials, including the Emperor. Despite himself, he curiously watches the current scene playing. Hakyeon clutches the rifle against his chest as he pants harshly, his handsome face displaying exertion and determination at the same time, cheekbones covered by a thin line of dirt or grime which only highlights his cheekbones even more. He looks _devastatingly handsome._ Such a shame.

An urgent knock jolts Jaehwan up, causing him to snap his head back towards the door. He’s anxious, not only wondering _who_ found out where the projector room is, but also _why_ they would come all the way up here. He looks through the small window once more, noting the scene. _About four more minutes._ Another knock causes him to wince. Jaehwan glares at the door, knowing he needs to get rid of the person pestering him so he can get out smoothly.

He takes quick steps towards the door, parting it enough to tell the intruder to fuck off, taken aback to find Hakyeon standing there. The star of the movie grins from ear-to-ear, dressed sharply in a white tuxedo suit with a black dress shirt and bow-tie, his black hair styled down to form a comma over his forehead; a charming fucking dream. Jaehwan finds his heart racing slightly, happy to see the man wear something other than that _awful_ uniform. He doesn’t comment on the officer’s appearance, though. “Hakyeon?”

“Hey Jaehwan!” the star says, “I thought I’d keep you company.”

Jaehwan glances back at the projector room, then scowls at the soldier as he responds “I don’t have time for this right now. I’m really busy-”

“Then allow me to assist you! I’m sure I can help you in some way.” the man smiles.

The brunet shakes his head, letting out a frustrated groan, “Hakyeon, you can’t be up here. What are you even doing here?”

Hakyeon shrugs as he responds “Well the movie is mostly about my military exploits...particularly of all the men I have killed. And this part is,” he gives a dry chuckle, “well this part is a bit tough for me to watch. You know there’s only so many minutes you can watch yourself shooting other people before having enough.” he comments, lips curving into a teasing smirk “And I realized I hadn’t seen your pretty face since the movie started, so I thought I’d come do what I do best: annoy you! Based on your expression, I haven’t lost my touch.” 

The brunet blinks at the man in front of him, a hint of annoyance bursting through his veins. “Well…” he starts off, not opening his door any further, “as the star of the show...I’m sure it might be best for you to be down there...with the Emperor? Okay? I’ll see you after the movie ends.” he tries to reason, giving a false promise and a forced smile as he tries to close the door.

Hakyeon gently pushes against it, laughing as he says “Oh I think I’ll sneak back in later. It’s only half way through the movie and we’ve barely gotten to day two, ha!” he laughs. His palm is resting against the door as his gaze changes from a playful to sultry, as if his eyes are encompassed by the theater owner. He stares at Jaehwan, without saying anything, reaching out to lightly brush at the brown fringes slightly covering the theater owner’s eyes. “You know, you look really nice tonight.” the soldier mutters, continuing in a trance “I mean, you’ve looked pretty every time I’ve seen you...I nearly tripped over my feet when I saw you outside the theater that night.”

Jaehwan is confused, unsure of how to react or what to say. What he does know, based on the dialogue playing in the background, is that he has two minutes until his message is loudly heard. No one downstairs would be able to leave, since Wonshik must have locked all of the doors right now. The problem at hand, of course, is the soldier in front of him, the celebrated sniper currently plastered to his door; what would he do with Hakyeon once his message starts playing in the middle of the movie. 

He rolls his eyes, opting to just shut the door in Hakyeon’s face and hoping that’ll force the soldier to leave. “Hakyeon, I’m sure you’re so used to the Japanese kissing your ass that you forgot what ‘no’ sounds like. Well I’ll tell you now: no! Now go back to _your premiere_ and leave me alone!” He moves to push the door only for the officer to slam the door right open, having Jaehwan fall back from the impact. 

The brunet glances down at his hand, throbbing where the door hit it. “Hakyeon, you hurt me.” he mutters, glaring up to find the other male seething at him.

“Oh, so you can feel something else after all, even if it’s physical pain.” he grits through his teeth. “You know I can’t stop...I can’t stop thinking about you.” The decorated officer admits, gritting through his teeth, face completely taken over in rage as he slowly walks towards Jaewhan. “I have tried so hard, _so hard_ to be nice to you, patiently waiting for you to come to your senses. And this is how you treat me?!” he shouts, angry eyes ready to eat Jaehwan alive. Hakyeon leers, groaning “Well I’m not some guy you can just shout at to leave, Jaehwan! There are over three hundred dead bodies in China that can testify to that!” 

Jaehwan backs towards the projector as he keeps his eye on the deranged male in front of him, his ears listening to hear what scene is playing, how much time he has left. _About a minute._ Gulping, he decides to blurt the first thing that comes to his mind, effectively shutting the officer up. “Lock the door.”

Hakyeon is mid-spiel when the demand catches him off-guard. “What?”

The brunet gives a curt nod, deciding to lick his lips as he repeats, “Lock the door,” then adding “we don’t have much time.”

“I-” the soldier blinks at Jaehwan, speechless, his anger lowering down as he asks, curiously “Much time for what?”

Jaehwan makes a show to roll his eyes, muttering a quick “Forget it.” as he turns back to the projector, instantly grabbing Hakyeon’s attention. 

“No, no, no, wait!” the soldier whispers loudly, eyeing the door then looking back at Jaehwan, a coy smirk forming on his mouth. “Lock the door, then?”

The brunet swallows the lump in his throat, hearing the scene of the movie shift closer, nearly thirty seconds away from when his own voice will appear in the film, from when Hakyeon will realize that there is more to Jaehwan that meets the eye. He gives the soldier a lop-sided grin, nodding teasingly. Hakyeon smiles back, cautiously turning to shut the projector room’s door. Not sparing a second, Jaehwan pulls the pocket pistol out of his coat, immediately shooting Hakyeon in the back five times. 

Hakyeon groans from the impact, his white suit jacket changing into red as the soldier slowly collapses to the floor. Jaehwan quickly gazes out the tiny window, making sure no one has heard the shots, pleased when he realizes his shots were probably mixed in with the film’s ongoing battle. He sighs, waiting for his message to pop up. He sees the screen suddenly cut, his voice filling the theater as a message pops up on the screen. 

Jaehwan takes a deep breath: another thirty seconds and this theater would be ablaze. He reaches for the match-box neatly tucked in his coat pocket, pausing when he hears a whimpered groan from Hakyeon. The brunet slowly turns towards the dying man, watching him twitch on the ground, back still bleeding as he lets out a small cry. He sighs, thinking of how Hakyeon has been a pleasant guy, who has some type of remorse for the people he has killed, even if towards the end he showed Jaewhan how entitled he may be. Jaehwan gulps, feeling a hint of remorse, wondering how in any other life, in any other story, perhaps he could see himself giving this man a chance. But not this one. 

He hears Hakyeon whimper once more, his face still planted to the ground. The feeling of compassion overwhelms him, reeling at him to go over to the soldier on the ground, to perhaps let him know that someone else is there, that he doesn’t have to bleed to death, facing down on the floor of a projector room. Jaehwan kneels next to Hakyeon, a hand reaching out to gently roll the man over. From the distance he hears clamoring and a ripple of a blaze, Wonshik having already started the fire. He bites his lip realizing he needs to go _right now_ if he wants to survive. 

Jaehwan looks towards Hakyeon one last time, ready to sprint towards the door only to find himself on the other side of a nambu pistol held in the officer’s shaky hand. He doesn’t have time to register when Hakyeon pulls the trigger, once, twice, a third time, aiming at Jaehwan’s chest and abdomen, yanking out a cry from his lips as he collapses on the floor. He sees the handgun fall from the officer’s hand, Hakyeon giving Jaehwan one last glare before his head drops, his breathing ceasing. Jaehwan groans in pain as he sees the orange hue of the fire reflected from the tiny window, hearing the officials and fascists screaming downstairs, full of panic and regret. He hiccups slightly, head feeling a little lighter as he bleeds out on the floor, eyes glued to the dead man across from him. Taking in one last shaky breath, he lets out a dry chuckle, a smile gracing his face before everything turns black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this wasn't too dark lol the title is based on the classical piece "Un Dollaro Bucato" used in a scene in this movie.


	11. Give You My All (HyuKen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Sanghyuk/Jaehwan  
> Rating: E (Explicit/NC-17)  
> Prompt: I want to give you my all  
> Warning: blowjob, redhead!jyani
> 
> bodyguard!au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sanghyuk finds out how much Jaehwan appreciates him.

“Jaehwan, Jaehwan, stop, seriously get up.” Sanghyuk implores in exasperation. 

The older male blinks up at him owlishly from his place on the ground, brown porcelain eyes glimmering, cheeks a rosy hue, soft, pink lips nearly a hair away from the tip of his cock. “Is...is it not good?” he asks hesitantly, blinking at the seated male as he shifts on his knees, the hand wrapped around Sanghyuk’s cock loosely moving up and down. Jaehwan worries his lower lip between his teeth, small puffs of warm air hitting Sanghyuk’s burning skin, causing the bodyguard to hiss. 

“No, _nooo,”_ he emphasizes, “it’s not that.” he grits while scrunching his eyes shut, digging his hands in the bedsheets on either side of his thighs, fighting back the urge to just grab Jaehwan’s mahogany locks and push him back onto his cock. “I don’t think we should do this at all.” he musters out, knowing full well his dick is currently cursing him for all of eternity. “I’m your bodyguard, my main priority is to protect _you.”_ he says, the last word higher in pitch when the kneeling man twists his hand. 

Jaehwan is frowning up at him, eyebrows pulled together in confusion. “But you do protect me...you protected me today! Saved me from that scary sasaeng fan after the music show! I owe you my life.” the older male reasons in a casual voice, nodding before moving his lips back towards the tip of Sanghyuk’s cock once more.

Sanghyuk gawks at the statement, jaw dropping even lower than he thought possible when the singer starts sucking on the head of his cock, letting out a loud moan. “Jae, I- _oh fuck,_ l-look, you don’t have _to-”_ his words getting cut off with the hitch of his breath as the redhead takes more of him in. The bodyguard pants, a hand instinctively moving down to grasp at the mop of brown hair, unwittingly pulling Jaehwan’s lips off of his cock. 

A thread of saliva connects Jaehwan’s plump bottom lip to his length, the singer panting as he stares up at Sanghyuk with wide eyes. “What’s wrong Hyoagie?” he asks, in that sweet, soft voice like he wasn’t just sucking on Sanghyuk’s dick three seconds ago. 

The bodyguard sighs, loosening his grip on the older male's hair, fingertips gently massaging the scalp underneath, secretly dwelling when the singer pushes his head back against the petting. “Jaehwan you don’t need to do this? You don’t owe me anything, okay? I protected you because it’s my job; I saved you because I wanted to.” _Because I don't know if I could live if something happened to you_ _._

Jaehwan continues blinking at Sanghyuk, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion as he tilts his head “I know.” he responds. He glances at Sanghyuk’s throbbing erection, experimentally giving it a quick stroke, relishing on the whine the younger male releases. The redhead glances back up at Sanghyuk with a lop-sided smile, shrugging, “I’m not doing this to repay you for being my bodyguard…” he says, pausing as he moves his lips closer to Sanghyuk’s length. He doesn’t break eye contact as he licks a stripe from the base to the tip of the taller male’s cock, doe-eyes trained on the bodyguard as he does, smirking gleefully when he hears a whine. “I’m doing it because I really like you Han Sanghyuk.” he adds, pressing a _soft_ kiss right below the head, tenderly peppering the tip as his hand slowly resumes stroking the hot length in his palm. Jaehwan flickers his eyes back up at the whimpering man with a demure fluttering of lashes, coyly twisting his lips, as he says “I’m sorry for reading this the wrong way...but I thought you liked me too.” 

Sanghyuk groans at the sight in front of him, debating in his head whether this is really happening or he’s just stuck in one of his wet-dreams again, really hoping if it’s the latter that he’s able to come before he wakes up. He sighs, brushing away Jaehwan’s mahogany bangs as he says “I _do_ like you. I like you a lot Jaehwan. But I don’t want you to feel like you need to do this to prove anything o-or that I’ll expect this from you.”

Jaehwan’s lips form pushes out into a little pout, the one that usually has Sanghyuk pressing his lips together tightly, holding back a smile. It’s the same pout he uses whenever he wants to get closer to his fans and Sanghyuk insists _no_ or he wants to go into a crowded Lotteria for shrimp burger instead letting the bodyguard picking it up. Case-in-point: whenever Jaehwan puckers his plush, soft lips like that, all reasoning dies in Sanghyuk’s head and the singer gets exactly what he wants. So Sanghyuk’s heart sinks a bit, knowing full damn well that he’ll agree to whatever the cute man kneeling in front of him is about to tell him to do.

“But Hyoagie,” the singer starts off, browns eyes blinking up at him, “I _want_ to suck your dick… _I want to give you my all.”_ he whispers, tilting his head with a sweet grin “Would you like all of me?”

Sanghyuk takes in a sharp inhale of breath, his dick twitching in Jaehwan’s fist, his heart fluttering inside his chest. He licks his lips, peering at the smiling man on his knees, whimpering out a _“Y-yes, yes I do.”_

Just then Jaehwan breaks out into a breathtaking, boxy smile; one Sanghyuk has seen millions of times between performances and interviews, but none compare to right now, at this moment. “I’m glad you do.” the singer responds, still grinning as he goes back to engulfing Sanghyuk’s length. The bodyguard throws his head back with a loud moan, fingers once again searching for purchase his Jaehwan’s hair. He glances down to find the older male blinking at him, smiling around Sanghyuk’s cock as he takes more in, moaning around the intrusion in his mouth. 

  
The bodyguard whimpers, gasping as Jaehwan continues sucking his cock, knowing full well that he is _royally fucked._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any typos :) In a way, Hyuk's talking about not being able to come during a wet-dream is foreshadowing that I didn't let him come at the end of this fic 🥴 *crowd booing me, random person shouting "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"*


	12. Dinner and a show (Keo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Jaehwan/Taekwoon (Keo)  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: Open me up  
> Warning: none (Jaehwan wearing nothing but an apron)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jaehwan prepares a 'perfect' Valentine's Day dinner for his boyfriend...too bad it doesn't go as planned.

Jaehwan wants everything to be _perfect._ That’s why he made sure to take the whole day off, leaving all of his reporting duties at the television station and focusing solely on all the things that need to be taken care of. He started the morning giving his boyfriend a sleepy goodbye kiss, feigning tiredness with puffy eyes and pouty lips. Taekwoon had sighed, murmuring apologies against his cheek as he headed out, promising “At least we’ll have tonight together.” 

It’s hard dating a human rights lawyer, particularly one busy with a highly publicized landmark case. He nods with the sleepy expression that he knows will have Taekwoon melting inside, his predictions are confirmed when the lawyer goes for a light bite on his shoulder, hard enough to make him whimper but not fully wake up. Jaehwan wakes up again two hours later and takes a trip to the grocery store, determined to recreate the Valentine's Day menu he read in an article. Jaehwan is by no means a cook, but he’s hoping if he uses the freshest ingredients and follows the directions to a T, that perhaps, _perhaps_ he just might pull off a perfect, heartfelt dinner. In a last minute thought, he picks up a couple of boxes of strawberries and a can of whipped cream, giggling to himself at the mischievous afterthought.

Nothing _too_ wild, a bit ambitious, but he _wants_ to do this, just for Taekwoon. The honey brûlée brie was fast enough, even if Jaehwan burnt himself slightly, hissing with pouty lips. Marinating the lamb chops wasn’t too difficult, dusting his hands off with a pleased sigh after he tucked the lamb into the fridge. He pops a couple of strawberries in his mouth, humming to himself whilst as he fixes the wedge salad, pausing when he glances down at his apron. He gasps when he gets an epiphany, chortling to himself as he finishes up on the salad. 

He spends the rest of his time tidying up here and there, munching on a quick sandwich, giddy with excitement as sees where he can set up a spread of strawberries and whipped cream. He sings to himself in the shower, lathering in the shampoo into his strawberry blond hair after popping the lamb chops and the chocolate soufflé mixture in the oven. Jaehwan takes time in showering, deciding to go the extra mile and shave. It’s not something he does _often_ but he wants tonight to be special. He stands naked in front of the mirror while drying his hair, shifting his hair left and right, pulling funny faces at the twin in his mirror, deciding to send Taekwoon a cutesy selfie. 

Jaehwan walks down to the kitchen in all of naked glory, smiling when he sees he received a text back from the lawyer. He halts with a scream right before checking the text when he sees smoke coming out of the oven. He whines as he slides a frozen pizza in the oven, sniffling as he cuts strawberries to make deviled hearts out of them for dessert, sighing as he googles which wine would go best with margherita pizza: apparently a dry rosé. 

Despite things not going as planned, Jaehwan perseveres, giggling to himself as he puts on a white apron with pink and red hearts, laces adorning the edges. He twists his head to look back at the mirror, tongue peeking out from the corner of his lips in concentration as he ties the ropes, only satisfied once the bows of the thick ribbons sit _just right_ above the globes of his perky ass. The reporter shakes his shoulders and shimmies his hips to the sultry jazz music playing in the background as he pours two glasses of wine, ears perking up like a puppy’s when he hears the doorbell. He glances up to see it’s 8:00 pm, just the time Taekwoon said he’d come home.

Letting out a quick, excited squeal as he skips over to the door. Another quick glance to the mirror at the entrance, making sure his hair is ‘neatly’ tousled, smacking his lips a pretty shade of mauve, deeply inhaling before he opens the door. 

Fluttering his eyes shut, he drawls, “I’ve been waiting for you Mr. Jung,” letting out an exaggerated breathy sigh then adding _“Open me up.”_

The lack of a response and silence causes him to peak an eye opening, jaw dropping as soon as he does. There, standing in front of him is a surprised Taekwoon, his boyfriend’s black hair swept up and away from his handsome face, still dressed sharply in his suit and tie, a navy overcoat on top. Jaehwan would swoon over how good the taller male looks, he absolutely would...if there weren’t at least six other people holding boxes of case files behind him, all gawking at the blond. 

_“Ah!”_ Jaehwan gasps, immediately moving off of the door he was lounging against, hand immediately moving back to ensure the ties doesn’t come off of his apron. He lets out a nervous chuckle, staring up at Taekwoon in confusion, making sure he doesn’t pull on the apron too much so the imprint of his dick doesn’t peep through.

He hears a deep voice, possibly Sanghyuk, mumbling behind the decorated lawyer, _“Wonshik, close your mouth! You’re drooling.”_ Jaehwan almost groans in mortification, when he sees Taekwoon’s assistant Wonshik let out a loud yelp, immediately looking away.

Taekwoon presses his lips together, half in embarrassment and half holding back a laugh. “Hey sweetheart,” he starts off sweetly, “I’m so sorry, we still had a lot to go over and prepare for tomorrow’s trial. I sent you a text.” 

Jaehwan plasters on a smile, awkwardly nodding, “Oh? Uh-huh, of course! I did read that! Hah!” He widens his grin, showing off his straight teeth as he thinks back to the text message he was _just_ about to read before running to the burning souffle in the oven.

The taller male pulls the reporter into a hug, muttering against his ears “I’m sorry, I’ll make it up to you later.”

The blond nods, forcibly laughing as he pulls away, walking backwards into the house, hands still clutching onto the back of his apron in case it opens. He sees Rose, another one of Taekwoon’s colleagues raise her head above his boyfriend’s shoulder, smiling as she yells with a Kiwi accent “I love the apron! My husband has the same one!” 

Jaehwan throws his head back, in a mock guffaw “Haha, thanks! Well come in, come in! Your arms must be tired from all those heavy boxes Taekwoon is making you carry!” he riffs at his boyfriend. “Make yourself comfortable! I’ll be _righttttt_ out!” he nervously stammers out before scurrying towards their room. 

The reporter quickly shuts the door, hearing Taekwoon shuffle his colleagues into their living room. Someone exclaims _“Oh awesome, strawberries and whipped cream!”_ to what Taekwoon chuckles back _“Help yourself.”_ Jaehwan groans, sitting down on the edge of the bed, hiding his face into his palms. “Stupid, stupid.” he grumbles, not exactly sure if he’s berating himself or cursing his workaholic lover.

Muffled approaching footsteps stop right outside the door, a soft knock causing Jaehwan to look up. “Sweetheart?” Taekwoon asks from outside, slowly turning the knob and peeking his head in. The lawyer has an apologetic smile as he says “Hey,” stepping into the room with his long limbs, free of his overcoat and suit jacket. He’s rubbing the back of his neck as he sighs “I’m so sorry babe. I thought you got my text...I didn’t mean to-”

Jaehwan’s groan cuts him off, peering up at Taekwoon through parted fingers, blinking through his fringes. “Taekwoon, that was so embarrassing! How am I supposed to show my face in front of your coworkers again? This is so humiliating!”

Taekwoon chuckles at the comment, pulling Jaehwan up to his feet and into an embrace, arms tightly winding around the blond’s waist. The lawyer places a kiss on his forehead, mumbling against the temple, “No, no! Don’t feel bad!” he moves down to peck Jaehwan’s pouty lips, sighing as he mutters against it “You weren’t expecting any of this. It was just supposed to be the two of us. I’m sorry baby.”

“You sure fucking were.” Jaehwan complains under his breath, causing Taekwoon to snort. 

The taller male lovingly caresses Jaehwan’s back, pressing a kiss onto his neck, “I’m gonna make it up to you, sweetheart. I’m so sorry.” He feels slightly reassured when Jaehwan lets out a pleased sigh against his shoulder, smile tugging on his lips as he slowly moves his hands down until they’re resting on the bare buttocks. Taekwoon chuckles, glancing down at how the apron is tied so meticulously that the bow hovers right over the mound of the blond’s ass, the rope perfectly covering the crack. He gives a cheeks a fond grope, laughing when he hears Jaehwan whimper. “You did this just for me?”

Jaehwan pulls back to nod, eyes downcast, lips puckered in petulence. “And I cooked dinner…” he gripes, omitting the fact that he initially _burned_ dinner. He flutters his lashes up to find Taekwoon sporting an amused grin. The reporter pouts heavily, scrunching his eyebrows down as picks at the non-existent thread poking out from Taekwoon’s shirt, “I even shaved my legs.” he grits through his plush lips. 

Hearing that revelation causes Taekwoon to throw his head back, bemoaning “Oh baby, _baby,_ all for me?!” The blond glares up at the lawyer, nodding with a huff, hoping to come off angry. Unfortunately for him, Taekwoon finds the entire ordeal absolutely adorable, staring at the other with such adoration. _“Oh Jaehwan,_ baby you didn’t have to do all that, but you did.” the taller male calls out, pressing a peck against Jaehwan’s lips, looking at the big brown eyes as he whispers “I love you so much.” Diving in for a longer, deeper kiss.

The reporter sighs against Taekwoon’s lips, his fingers tangling into the taller male’s locks. Jaehwan moans when Taekwoon pulls him closer, giving one of his asscheeks a squeeze while his other hand moves up to give the blond’s hair a soft tug. His boyfriend pulls away for a second, to look into his eyes, warm puffs of breath hitting Jaehwan’s wet lips. 

Taekwoon dives back in, twisting his head slightly and nibbling on Jaehwan’s lower lips, “You know what I’d do if all those people weren’t in our living room?”

Jaehwan trembles at the question, hands digging into Taekwoon’s shoulder when the older male playfully bites along his jawline. “Wh-what?” he asks with a gasp when Taekwoon presses his leg between Jaehwan’s thighs. 

Distractedly, Taekwoon presses a kiss at the blond’s pulse point, moving up to his ear and whispering “I’d probably throw you over the dinner table, spread those legs and eat you out like desert. Then I’d fuck you into our couch until all you could remember is my own name.”

The words send a shiver down Jaehwan’s spine, fingers cradling Taekwoon’s hair, as he breathlessly moans “You don’t have the stamina for that.” 

Taekwoon chokes at those words, gaping at Jaehwan in astonishment, spluttering “I- yes I do!” He scrunches his eyebrows, glaring in offense, mumbling “You know I do!” The human rights lawyer pouts, biting Jaehwan’s shoulder lightly in retaliation.

Jaehwan’s hisses, the blond snorting at his boyfriend’s petulence. He pats Taekwoon’s shoulder, sighing “Sure you do, lover boy. Now get back to your crew so you don’t lose that trial tomorrow.” He walks over to their closet to pull out a pair of sweats, looking over his shoulder in mock exasperation “Don’t want all these grievances you put on your boyfriend to go waste.” 

Scoffing, the lawyer winds his arms around Jaehwan’s middle, pressing his chest against the blond’s back, nosing against the blond’s back, mumbling “Why would you say that? You’re so mean.” He grazes his teeth against the shorter male’s neck, pressing a kiss onto the skin.

Jaehwan snorts, leaning into Taekwoon’s hold and peering back at him “You literally brought your entire office to our house on the evening of V-Day...after you promised me the night. Don’t tell me I’m being mean.” he narrows his eyes, glaring playfully at the older male. He scoffs, “And your coworkers saw me wearing nothing but an apron. How am I ever going to face any of them again? I’m so mortified.”

“Oh please, they all love you.” Taekwoon mumbles, tightening his hold on a wriggling Jaehwan, chuckling against his back, “You probably gave Wonshik a heart attack. He keeps up with all of your news segments.”

“Maybe I should leave you and start dating him.” Jaehwan muses, whimpering when Taekwoon digs his teeth into his shoulder.

“I’ll give him so much work, you’ll never get to see him.” the lawyer says, frowning at a giggling Jaehwan.

“That’s fine, I barely see my current boyfriend as it is.” the blond responds.

Groaning, Taekwoon nuzzles his cheek against Jaehwan’s neck “I’m sorry sweetheart, please.” 

A knock makes both of them glance towards the door, a muffled _“Uh, boss, we’re all set up.”_ coming from outside.

Taekwoon looks up at the ceiling, sighing in exasperation. “Thanks Sanghyuk! Be right out!” 

Jaehwan clicks his tongue, turning his head to grin back at his boyfriend “You go on. There's a pizza in the oven, but I’ll order some more. I’ll be out in a bit.”

The lawyer places at least ten smacking kisses on his neck, “Thank you baby! I love you, I love you, I love you!” he mutters with each smooch. 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Jaehwan exhales. “Now let me go so I can find those shorts that make my ass look good. Wonshik would love that.” He lets out a squawk when his boyfriend pinches his butt, turning around to find Jung Taekwoon, a decorated human rights lawyer in his 30s, blowing a raspberry at him, smirking as his long limbs stride towards the door. “Idiot.” the blond scoffs, smiling to himself. 

He turns around when he hears the door creak open again, Taekwoon popping his head in once more, sheepishly grinning as he says “Your ass looks good in everything.” The taller male chuckles, his lower lip between his teeth as he leaves.

Jaehwan gapes at the door, letting out a breathless chuckle, muttering to himself “I know it does.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahaha I hope this is as amusing as I hoped it would be. Inspired by like one short scene in _Bridget Jones's Baby_.
> 
> If anyone is interested, meal inspo: [honey brûlée brie](https://www.spoonforkbacon.com/honey-brulee-brie/), [lamb chops](https://www.spoonforkbacon.com/garlic-butter-lamb-chops-recipe/), [chocolate soufflé](https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/chocolate-souffle/), [wedge salad](https://www.spoonforkbacon.com/everything-bagel-seasoning-wedge-salad/), and [deviled heart](https://www.spoonforkbacon.com/deviled-hearts/)


	13. What do you mean vampires are broke? (Keo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Taekwoon/Jaehwan (Keo)  
> Rating: G  
> Prompt: Make me unmistakably yours  
> Warning: none

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jaehwan tries to seduce his vampire boyfriend; Taekwoon completely sees through the mortal's plan.

“I feel  _ sooo _ dizzy right now.” Jaehwan bemoans, hanging off of his boyfriend’s wide shoulder, placing his head down. 

Taekwoon doesn’t say anything, looking over at the mop of ash-blond hair resting on his shoulder, holding back an amused smile. He continues leaning against the piano, an arm casually resting on the blond’s hip. “Oh, you do?” he simply asks.

The mortal nods, pouting up at his boyfriend, then suddenly exclaiming with an exaggerated gasp, “Oh,  _ whoa, _ what is in this  _ drink?” _ He stumbles towards the divan in calculated steps, throwing a hand across his forehead before  _ carefully  _ draping over the sofa. “Oh I feel so  _ warm _ right now, I bet my blood is just  _ coursing  _ through me.” he says loudly, fanning himself before pressing his hand against his chest, slowly dragging it down until his finger hooks on the ‘v’ of his burgundy velvet blouse. He lets out a breathless sigh, as pulls down on the top, exposing the expanse of his chest. 

Raising an eyebrow, Taekwoon walks over to Jaehwan, the mortal immediately throwing his head back, flaunting his neck. Taekwoon grins, hovering over the mortal and running his knuckles down the blond’s face, licking his lips before saying “Jaehwan, I must confess something to you.”

The blond peeks down at Taekwoon, arching his back under the vampire as he gasps breathlessly, “What is it?”

He knows all of this is supposed to look sexy, and truthfully there is a part of Taekwoon that just wants to rip Jaehwan’s clothes off and sink his teeth into the human’s neck,  _ but _ he mostly finds the human’s entire helpless-seduction act endearing. He sucks in his lower lip, moving down to place a chaste peck at the blond’s lips, nosing along his cheek with a faux-sigh as he says “You shouldn’t be with me Jaehwan.” The vampire smiles when he feels Jaehwan combing through his dark brown locks, feeling a sense of love that even in the middle of seducing Taekwoon, the human can’t help but show some affection. He glances up at the blond, looking into Jaehwan’s glossy eyes, “I…” he pauses, hoping it adds the dramatic effect he’s going for, “I’m...a vampire.”

_ “What?” _ Jaehwan gasps, a hand moving to cover his mouth as he raises his eyebrows in exaggeration, fooling absolutely  _ no one _ with his reaction. “A  _ vampire?” _ the blond repeats, blinking way too much for it to be a genuine reaction. “I had no clue!” he exclaims.

Taekwoon nearly guffaws, sighing loudly as he makes a move to leave. “I’m so sorry for misleading you Jaehwan. You deserve someone that isn’t a monster like me.” he says, making a move to get up. 

Jaehwan grasps onto Taekwoon’s shoulder, looking up at the other with doe-eyes, “No, Taekwoon!”

“No?” the vampire confirms.

Shaking his head, Jaehwan whimpers, brown eyes gleaming up at him “No! Because I love you Jung Taekwoon!”

If Taekwoon’s heart were still beating, it’d probably skip a beat right now. He finds his lips curving up as he swallows the lump in his throat, “You...you love me?”

The mortal nods ecstatically with the energy of a puppy, eyes boring into Taekwoon, lower lip jutting out in such a natural Jaehwan-like fashion that the vampire knows it’s a genuine reaction. “Yes! So please,” the human starts off, lying his head back down on the divan as he groans out “I don’t care that you’re a vampire, or if you’re from old money or new money. All I care about is you! So take me, Taekwoon; take me and make me unmistakably yours!” he gasps once more, shutting his eyes and tossing his head back, pushing his neck out towards the vampire.

Taekwoon raises an eyebrow, smirking as he leans down, nosing along the blond’s neck, inhaling the sweet fragrance of his neck. He grazes his sharp teeth against the human’s jawline, relishing in the sharp intake of breath made by Jaehwan, as he mumbles “Good thing vampire’s don’t need money.”

“Huh?” Jaehwan asks in confusion.

The vampire nearly bursts out laughing, pressing a kiss against the human’s  _ tempting _ neck, “I don’t have any money; I don’t need any.”

He immediately feels a hand pushing against his chest, Jaehwan sitting up with scrunched up eyebrows, fully conscious as he pulls his blouse back up, asking with a hitched voice, “Oh, you don’t? I see.” he clears his throat, looking at the clock, “Well...it’s getting late, maybe you should head out.”

Taekwoon nearly laughs, pressing his lips together as he asks “Oh? For the night?”

Jaehwan pulls his legs out from under Taekwoon, sitting up fully on the sofa as he nods. “Yep. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

The vampire doesn’t complain, smirking to himself as he responds with “If that’s what you want love.” He sighs, getting off of the divan when he hears the human clearing his throat. Taekwoon looks down to find the blond tilting his head, pressing his cheek out for a smooch as his eyes look around his apartment. He grins ear-to-ear as he moves down to place a wet kiss on Jaehwan’s cheek, murmuring against it “Goodnight baby.”

Jaehwan instead turns to face him, catching the vampire’s lips into his own, slowly moving about before pulling away, a sweet smile gracing his face when they part “Goodnight Taekwoon.” he responds. 

Nodding, the vampire heads towards the door, ready to head out. “Wait!” he hears Jaehwan call after him. Taekwoon turns around to find the human staring at him with a contemplative look, gnawing on his bottom lip, eyebrows scrunched together. After a minute, he finally relents, sighing as stands up and walks towards Taekwoon, arms immediately winding around the taller male’s neck. The mortal stares up at him sweetly, tilting his head as he smiles, “You should just spend the night here.” 

Taekwoon wraps an arm around his waist, smiling at Jaehwan, confessing “I’d love to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any typos ahaha inspired by this [TikTok](https://twitter.com/i/status/1327069574970294272) I saw a few months back lol


	14. Fly Me to the Moon (HyuKen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Sanghyuk/Jaehwan (HyuKen)  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: Are you really mine?  
> Warning: none

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by K and Joi's storyline from _Blade Runner 2049_ (with some backstory from the original _Blade Runner_ movie.

Sanghyuk’s eyes focus on the elevator floors, watching the lights move through the numbers: _13, 14, 15_. He rubs at the tiredness in his eyes, the muscle in his back pulling from fatigue. Today was a particularly hard day for Sanghyuk, all though to be honest, most days are hard as it is. His job consists of chasing down and retiring replicants; bioengineered humanoids, created to look virtually identical to humans. It’s particularly tough that these androids, initially created by RoVIXX Corporation to be used for labor and entertainment in the off-world colonies, have superior speed, agility, and intelligence. They’re tough to catch by the average police officer, particularly after a mutiny of the VIXX-6 generation in one of the off-world colonies, leading to multiple rogue replicants blending in with average humans.

This is where Sanghyuk comes in: they call him a “blade runner,” a policeman with the specific task to hunt down these replicants. What makes it particularly tough for him is that he himself is a replicant, albeit a newer generation with a lifespan longer that the initial seven years the older generations had. He wonders how some of the older generations somehow managed to survive long despite being granted such short lifespan. The ‘expiration date’ was a precaution from RoVIXX to prevent any future uprising which, ironically enough, was the main reason VIXX-6 revolted, demanding that RoVIXX fix this injustice. Some days he doesn’t think much of his job, other days, like today, it’s tough to push it out of his mind.

He blinks as the elevator light shifts from _18_ to _19_ , rotating his neck to get rid of the kinks as he thinks of the last words today’s retired replicant had told him. “You’re naive to think that they’ll accept you someday, just because you’re younger with a longer shelf-life. At the end of it all, they’ll treat you the same as us: used when they need you, discarded when they’re done.” It was the first time in a while that Sanghyuk wavered before pulling the trigger.

The light finally moves to _27,_ a _ting_ designating to the blade runner that he has arrived on his floor as the doors slide open. He walks through the dimly-lit hallway, unfazed by the graffiti in the wall reading _skin-job,_ already used to being subjected as a second-class citizen. He rotates his shoulders as he places his hand on the lock, eyes roaming over the newly fading writing of _fuck off skinner_ on his door. It’s once the door beeps, allowing him to slip into his own personal solace does he sigh, locking the door behind him. 

He turns on the lights, long legs taking quick strides over to the activation box, eyes roaming around his shabby apartment as he does, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Pressing the “on” switch, he moves back towards the entrance, taking off his coat and placing it in a hanger as he waits. A jazzy-song starts playing.

_“Hyoagi?”_ comes the honey-sweet voice, immediately bringing a smile to his face. _“I didn’t even hear you! You’re early!”_

Sanghyuk presses his lips together, nonchalantly responding, “Would you like me to come back?”

_“Ha!”_ the voice responds, _“Why don’t you wash up first, while I finish up?”_

And Sanghyuk does. He cleans the wound from where the retired replicant shot at him, scrunching his eyebrows as he puts antiseptic cream on the superficial flesh wound. _“How was work?”_ asks the voice as he steps into the powerwash in his shower, the high-speed water raining down on him for ten-seconds, washing away the grime and sweat of the day. 

“Oh you know, work.” he shouts back, dressing in a plain t-shirt and sweats before moving over to the kitchen. “What about you?”

The voice sighs, seemingly in longing but a little bit in distraction _“I think I’m getting cabin fever.”_ it replies with an exhale. Sanghyuk is mixing in the ramen spice pack when he forces back a grin, imagining a pout with that response. He hears the voice hiss, grumbling _“I feel like I should’ve marinated this longer.”_

“Don’t fuss about it. I’m sure I’ll love it.” he replies, stirring the ramen. 

_“Did you know, this song was originally written in 1954, but most people know it for Sinatra’s version, which was closely associated with the Apollo missions to the moon?”_ the voice chirps in delight. 

Sanghyuk pours his ramen into a bowl, mumbling loudly, “Oh yeah? Is that so?”

He walks out the tiny kitchen towards the tiny table for one, setting his bowl down as the voice continues in excitement, _“Yes! All though I personally am partial to Shirley Bassey’s cover of it.”_ Sanghyuk nods, sitting down on the chair. He exhales as all of his muscles slowly relax while he stares out his living room window, taking in the changing neon lights from the advertisement billboards. _“I’m nearly done, Sanghyuk! Just a few more seconds.”_ the voice says, humming as it continues _“I really hope you like this.”_

Sanghyuk has already sat down as he calls out to the soft, delightful voice, “I told you not to fuss.” 

He looks up at the ceiling to see the laser-beam projector move towards the entrance of the kitchen, a hologram of Jaehwan forming right below the projector; he’s wearing a white dress shirt tucked into a pair of black slacks, the sleeves rolled up to his arms as his front is covered by a floral apron. His short, wavy, dark-brown hair is neatly pushed off and away from his forehead, the plush pink lips widened in a smile, his brown eyes twinkling. Jaehwan walks towards Sanghyuk, holding a plate up with his hand as he sing-songs, _“All ready,”_ placing the holographic plate right over Sanghyuk’s ramen, now partially covered by a transparent steak, french fries, and vegetables on the side. _“Bon appétit, my love.”_ Jaehwan whispers, placing a short, delicate peck on Sanghyuk’s cheek. _“Happy Valentine’s Day."_

The AI sits down on the chair next to Sanghyuk, placing an elbow on a free area of the table, resting his chin on his open-hand as he smiles at the blade runner. “This all looks beautiful, baby.” Sanghyuk says, smiling back at Jaehwan. The brunet stares at Sanghyuk for a minute, as if reading the replicant, still grinning as he stands up from his seat, his outfit changing into an oversized white t-shirt and black shorts. He reaches for a book at the counter, the physical book itself still remaining there as a holographic one forms in Jaehwan’s hands. “After your dinner, would you like to read to me?” he asks with wide eyes, lips finishing off the last word in a pout.

Sanghyuk snorts, raising an eyebrow as he looks down at the book. “You hate that book.”

Jaehwan glances down and shrugs, “I don’t wanna read either.” He throws the phantom book behind him and immediately changes into a black dress shirt tucked into some slacks, his hair switching to a dark blond, shaved on the side, long bangs covering his forehead. He walks over to the other side of the table, the laser-projector moving along in the ceiling with him “Would you prefer to dance, then? Dancing always helps you feel better.” 

The blade runner watches him with amusement, grinning as he shakes his head. “That’s okay for today. Why don’t you switch back to something comfortable and come here.” he says, reaching out for Jaehwan’s holographic wrist. The AI changes his outfit to the previous white t-shirt and shorts, settling down on Sanghyuk’s lap, both legs hanging off the officer’s right side. He ghosts his arms around the replicant’s neck, giving Sanghyuk a gentle smile. 

Sanghyuk sighs, placing his hand where the hologram’s hip is, not exactly feeling anything under his palm, no actual weight on his lap. He stares at his boyfriend’s sweet face, taking in the light blush dusted on Jaehwan’s cheeks and the tip of his nose, his brown hair now on the messier side with the fringes touching his eyebrows, his lips the sweetest shade of pink. An overwhelming emotion of affection takes over his bioengineered heart as he presses his lips against the hologram’s ones, feeling a phantom caress of softness as he mutters “Are you really mine? All mine?”

Jaehwan lets out a cheerful giggle, brushing his lips over to the corner of Sanghyuk’s mouth as he whispers “Only yours, forever and always.”

Letting out a content exhale, Sanghyuk gives the AI a sheepish grin, adding “I got you a present.” 

The brunet’s eyes widen, as he gasps with excitement. “A present? For me?”

Sanghyuk bites his lower lip as he reaches over to grab a box from the counter, ensuring that an arm is securely around the hologram’s waist. His arm is still wrapped around Jaehwan as he opens up the package, the brunet curiously peering down at it as Sanghyuk pulls out a black rectangular device, akin to a pen or stylus. “Happy Valentine’s Day.” he says.

Jaehwan gasps, hands hovering over his mouth, lips parted in an astonished O, doe-eyes blinking in awe as he whispers “An eminator?” He blinks over at Sanghyuk. 

The replicant grins at him, motioning for the AI to stand up. “Yeah, just give me a second.” he mutters, mostly to himself as he quickly walks over to the activation box, opening the cover and inserting the emanator’s information. Jaehwan has a fond smile on his face as a holographic window pops up next to his head, reading _“Eminator detected: systems syncing.”_

Sanghyuk looks up to find Jaehwan momentarily disappearing, the laser-projector shifting back to the center of the ceiling as he does. The blade runner waits until the projector turns off completely. He presses a button on the eminator, smiling when Jaehwan reappears in front of him, now dressed in a thin navy blue t-shirt, same black shorts, same brown hair. The AI peers up at the projector with parted lips, chuckling in awe as he moves freely for the first time, without the restrictions of where the projector moves. 

He giggles to himself as he turns in the middle of the room, grinning from ear-to-ear. Sanghyuk rests against the wall and watches the brunet with endearment, his heart swelling with each sweet laugh Jaehwan releases. Jaehwan stops and blinks up at him with reverence. “Thank you! Thank you!” 

Sanghyuk licks his bottom lip, smiling “So I take it you like your gift?”

The hologram runs up to him, transparent arms wrapping around his shoulders, holographic head lying in the crook of his neck. “I love it so much!” Jaehwan whispers, pulling back to smile up at Sanghyuk. “And I love you so much.” his brown eyes glittering with tears. “You’re so good to me.” he whispers.

Sanghyuk feels his heart clench, his throat straining as he rests his forehead against the holographic one in front of him, muttering “Because you’re all mine,” sighing with content “and I love you.” He stares into Jaehwan’s eyes whispering “You can go anywhere in the world you want now…” his lips curving up into a fond grin, “where do you wanna go first?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired particularly by [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Sffdf9m2Ew) scene (some lines are word-for-word lol *nervous chuckle). Initially I was going to make this longer, but due to some procrastination I'm gonna keep this short lol Hope you all like it! Please excuse any typos!


	15. Sunday Morning (HaKen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Hakyeon/Jaehwan (HaKen)  
> Rating: G  
> Prompt: I was eager to escape  
> Warning: none

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hakyeon & Jaehwan lazing around in bed on a Sunday.

Hakyeon blinks at their beige ceiling, watching the shadows of the branches gently moving in the wind, the sunlight of the late-afternoon creating an orange hue in their bedroom. He turns his head towards the slumbering man, the messy brown hair strayed on the pillow, the lashes fan across his cheeks in the prettiest way, puffs of warm breath leaving his pouty parted lips; peacefully snoozing. _Adorable._ The sight brings a smile to Hakyeon’s face, prompting him to rest his chin on his hand. He caresses a finger-tip up and down the bridge of the sleeping man’s nose, chortling in delight when Jaehwan wrinkles his nose. 

He moves his hands up to the brunet’s ear, softly rubbing the pointed tip. Jaehwan whines, jutting his lips out in a frown, eyebrows scrunching over his closed eyes, ear wiggling slightly under Hakyeon’s fingers. The older male snickers at the reaction, his heart swelling when Jaehwan snuggles his face further into the pillow. Enjoying the teasing way too much, Hakyeon moves his head down, lips hovering over the brunet’s eyelids, lightly blowing against the fringes. Jaehwan squints under the scrutiny, curling into himself. Hakyeon giggles, moving up to the sleeping man’s ear, blowing there as well.

_“Yeonnn,”_ Jaehwan whines, eyes still shut, mumbling “let me be. Mmm trying to sleep.” He turns his head the other way. Hakyeon chuckles, biting his lips as he moves, pressing his chest against the younger male’s back, strong arms tightly winding around Jaehwan’s waist. He presses a kiss on the back of Jaehwan’s neck, ignoring how the other groans. “Hakyeon, lemme sleep.” Jaehwan grumbles, pressing his face against the pillow. 

Chuckling, Hakyeon moves up to his ear, whispering against the younger male’s ear “Nope.” He presses lingering open-mouthed kisses against the brunet’s neck, smirking when he hears the other male whimper. He turns the brunet over slowly, nuzzling against Jaehwan’s neck, pressing the other against the bed. 

“Hakyeon, you’re so annoying.” Jaehwan mutters, lips still pouted as he glares at his boyfriend. He sighs as Hakyeon peppers his face with pecks, arms still holding him hostage as the older male presses him against the bed. “It’s too early for this shit!” he groans. 

“It is 11:30.” Hakyeon simply responds, fingers moving up Jaehwan’s flanks like spiders, making the younger male squirm from the ticklish sensation. “Wake up and play with me.” Hakyeon muffles against his boyfriend’s skin.

“But it’s Sunday! Let me sleep, old man!” Jaehwan bemoans. He moves his arms up to push the other male off of him, which ends up being the wrong call since Hakyeon just squeezes the brunet tighter, effectively trapping the arms between them. “Hakyeon!” he whines, huffing at the old male giggles into his hair, nosing along his jawline. Jaehwan yelps when a sneaky hand reaches down to pinch his butt, moving to slap the man’s chest but unable to free his arms. “Why the fuck are you so strong?” he howls. The younger male rolls his eyes, opting to bite down on the exposed shoulder near his mouth. 

Hakyeon sits up with a screech, hand immediately slapping over the bitten area, “What the fuck were you biting so hard for?!” He checks his shoulder to make sure it’s not bleeding, glaring back at his boyfriend in astonishment.

Jaehwan yawns, slightly stretching his arms as he blinks at Hakyeon, his lids already heavy with sleep. “I was eager to escape.” he mumbles, slowly turning to his side and snuggling against his pillow. He half-heartedly turns his head towards Hakyeon with scrunched eyebrows, lips puckered into little pillows and he grumbles like a sleepy, petulant child “Let me sleep old man or next time I’m drawing blood.” 

The older male just gawks at him, shaking his head. “Unbelievable.” he mumbles, glancing at the clock to seem it’s a quarter till noon. “You’re lucky you’re cute brat.” he says, lightly tapping Jaehwan’s ass, causing the younger male to release a low whimper like a puppy. Hakyeon nearly chokes out a laugh at the noise, his mouth forming a grin as he presses against the brunet’s back once more, placing a tender kiss on the other’s neck. “I love you.” he whispers into the skin, pulling the blanket up as he adds “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Mmm, love you too.” the younger male murmurs back drowsily, the last word barely audible as his voice drifts away.

Hakyeon sighs as he places his head against the pillow; guess it doesn’t hurt to sleep in a little more. Besides, they’ve got the rest of the day to do nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahaha, for once Jaehwan is the one that bites!


	16. What that mouth do? (KenVi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Wonshik/Jaehwan (KenVi)  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: It's a little hot  
> Warning: mentions of blow-job (no smut), mentions of fuckboi!Shik

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wonshik's crush invites him over at 2am after he DM'd Jaehwan "What else does that mouth do?"

Wonshik is not really sure how he ended up in this position. It was just forty minutes ago that his crush had posted several adorable stories on Instagram of him playing with different filters, giggling at the effect, making cute little noises.

It was when Jaehwan came across a filter with a red snow cone that he gasped, letting out a squeal when polar bear paws started feeding him the animated shaved ice. He pretended to munch on the ice cream, moving his head from side-to-side whilst puffing his cheeks up, making Wonshik’s heart do funny flips. 

_“But you guys, here’s the funny part: I’m having ice cream right now!”_ the adorable brunet exclaimed, pulling out a cherry popsicle from somewhere beyond the camera frame! He shows it to the cameras real quick, smiling widely with giggles, before popping the pointy tip of the popsicle in his mouth. It was when Jaehwan had wrapped his lip around it and closed his eyes, letting out a satisfied moan that Wonshik dropped his phone. 

That was what pushed him to slide up on the story, fingers trembling as the fuck boy in him completely took over his brain, typing out “lol but what else that mouth do?” adding the smirk emoji and all. He had regretted it instantaneously and rushed to his inbox to ‘unsend’ the response, only to see it was too late…the message was “seen.” Wonshik let out a groan akin to a dying whale, shoving his face in his pillow as he already considered where he could move because he definitely can’t live here anymore. 

The buzzing of his phone made him snap his head up, whimpering as he hesitantly looked at his screen, gasping when he saw the response _“lol why don’t you come over and find out?”_ Wonshik blinked and reread that response ten times, mouth opening and closing in confusion, checking to make sure that it was _in fact_ Jaehwan that had responded. 

_“Shit.”_ was all he could say.

And here he is, sitting on the edge of Lee Jaehwan’s bed at 1:30 am, pressing a hand down on his right thigh to stop it from bouncing, which in turn only led to his left leg bouncing. The perky brunet had greeted him downstairs with a grin and chuckle, dressed in the some white t-shirt and black shorts he had on in his Instagram posts. He had then invited Wonshik up to _his fucking bedroom,_ telling the younger male “make yourself at home” as he went downstairs to get them some cola. 

Wonshik looks around the room, humming to himself as he sees the musical posters on the wall, not exactly surprised, judging from all of the times Jaehwan posted himself singing. He snaps his head towards the door when his crush steps in, two cans of Coca-Cola and a bag of chips in his hands, a wide smile gracing his beautiful, pretty fucking face.

“I’ve brought snacks!” he declares rather loudly, immediately cringing and shushing himself, it seems, as he whispers rather loudly “Sorry! My older brother is still asleep so we kind of have to keep it quiet.” _In his room while his brother is in the house? What a naughty boy…_ Wonshik’s inner fuckboy implores. The older male pads over to where Wonshik is sitting, handing him a can and placing the bag of chips on the round patio chair next to the bed, right below the window. 

The brunet sits down with a sigh on the side of the bed, motioning for Wonshik to join him from the edge, who in turn nods frantically. Clutching onto his can, Wonshik sits next to Jaehwan, leaving about a foot in between them. Jaehwan snickers and waves him closer “You don’t need to sit that far! I don’t bite.” 

_Ha, I sure hope you don’t, at least not around my dick_ Fuckboy-Shik supplies. 

Jaehwan sighs, placing a seemingly _innocent_ hand on Wonshik’s knee, looking right into the younger’s eyes as if he hasn’t heard the sharp intake of breath that Wonshik had just taken. “I’m so glad you messaged me...I _really_ wanted to do it with someone else.” 

The words nearly make Wonshik splutter, his thoughts jarballed as he someone puts a sentence together, chuckling lowly, “Well, I’ll always volunteer to do it with you.” Jaehwan must have liked his response, the brunet parting his lips with a shy smile, brown eyes widening and blinking through his messy fringes. It makes Wonshik’s heart melt. 

“Really?” his crush asks, giggling before adding “I’m glad to hear that.” he gives Wonshik’s knee a squeeze, pulling his hand back as he looks away, a coy smile on his face. “I will admit… my mouth is a little tired because I was practicing all day.”

Wonshik nearly faints, because how would he practice that? Is that why he had the popsicle? But that might be too cold, so on a banana? A cucumber? On a...on a... dildo? Wonshik’s brain is about to explode from the images his brain is conjuring up, feeling his pants tighten. He gulps as he asks “Oh?” licking his lips and hoping to keep the excitement in his tone down. “All-all day?”

The brunet bites his bottom lip, bashfully nodding as he reaches for something on the nightstand next to the bed. “Mmm-hmm.” is all he responds. Wonshik is about to shriek, wondering if Jaehwan’s about to _show him_ first. He inhales deeply, mentally preparing himself so he doesn’t jizz in his pants, glancing up, his jaw immediately dropping. 

Jaehwan is wiping the tip....of a beige wooden recorder, grinning ear to ear as he sheepishly looks at Wonshik through lidded eyes “I don’t even need to look at the sheets anymore!” The brunet takes in a deep breath, placing the recorder against his lips and closes his eyes. A tune similar to Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” starts playing, sounding similar to the song from _Titanic_ but a bit all over the place. He watches Jaehwan’s face morph into something of concentration with scrunched eyebrows, nostrils slightly flaring as his _cute_ fingers move over the different holes on the instrument; it’s endearing.

Wonshik watches the man, a bit awed, definitely surprised. He thinks that at least his arousal would disappear but he looks down with widened eyes to find himself sporting a semi. But can anyone blame him? Even if his ears are bleeding, Lee Jaehwan’s lips are wrapped around something, working very hard…it’s a little hot. 

Jaehwan pulls away with a gasp, panting through pouted parted lips as he glances towards Wonshik with an embarrassed look. “I ran out of breath and my cheeks started hurting.” he chuckles nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “I thought it was going to be easy because I’m really good with my mouth, you know.” Jaehwan blinks at him with owlish eyes. Wonshik gulps, berating himself for how his mind is immediately going in the gutter, for how badly Fuckboi-Shik has taken over him.

“Uh huh, of course.” he says, hoping his voice sounds level. He takes a sip from his Coke can to stop himself from making an embarrassing noise, hoping his crush doesn’t notice the slight tremble in his hand...or his hardening erection pressing against his jeans. How weird would it be to ask Jaehwan to pass him a pillow right now?

Jaehwan nods, adding in all seriousness “Like I can suck cock for a really long time, but my mouth gets tired real quick with the recorder.” He pouts. Wonshik chokes on his drink, spitting it out of his mouth. 

“Oh no Wonshik, are you okay?” the brunet gasps, setting his recorder down and immediately rubbing Wonshik’s back, his chest pressing against the younger male’s shoulder and arm.

Wonshik coughs a couple more times, shaking his head. “Yeah I’m fine, I’m okay.” he says chuckling, hoping Jaehwan doesn’t look down and spot his boner. 

Jaehwan still has a concerned look on his face, lips pursed, eyebrows scrunched. He places a hand on Wonshik’s knee, asking “Are you sure?” Wonshik nods, shifting his legs a little, causing Jaehwan’s glance down, his eyes widening “Oh...”

Wonshik clears his throat, laughing a bit forcibly “Uh, this awkward.” He avoids eye contact as he places his Coke can on his crush’s nightstand, the older male blinking up at him as he stands, immediately berating himself when he realized just how much his hardon is pressing against his pants, muttering a _“Fuck.”_ when he realizes it’s closer to Jaehwan’s face now. The brunet’s glances at his erection then blinks back up at Wonshik. “Uh...I should leave, maybe.” he chuckles, feeling slightly embarrassed, his inner fuckboy nowhere to be found.

“Wonshik, wait.” Jaehwan says, reaching out for his hand, pulling the younger man to sit down. He stares at Wonshik with a lop-sided apologetic grin, brown eyes blinking at him “I…” he starts off licking his lips “I didn’t mean to give you the wrong impression...but I guess I should’ve thought of that before inviting you over at 2am, ha.” he chuckles dryly, sighing. “But I really like you Wonshik...and I thought I’d share something personal with you.” he shrugs, glancing over at the other. “It was probably weird…”

Frantically shaking his head, Wonshik places a hand on Jaehwan’s shoulder, “No no, I loved it! Really! It’s really cool that you know how to play the recorder.” He peers into Jaehwan’s eyes as he says “I’m happy that you shared it with me. And, uh...” A look of embarrassment takes over his face as he forces himself to not glance down at his erection, “I didn’t mean to...uh sorry about this.” he vaguely motions over his crotch. 

The brunet gapes at him, mouth curving up to a smile. He leans over to place a soft kiss on Wonshik’s lips, a hand cupping the younger male’s chin, pulling away slightly to look at his eyes. The act has Wonshik blinking at him, moving his head forwards and reconnecting their lips for a deeper kiss. His fingers move to the back of Jaehwan’s head, entangling his messy brown hair, his other hand moving to his crush’s hip. Their lips slosh together as Jaehwan’s hands knot Wonshik’s sweatshirt. The brunet lets out a little moan, egging the Wonshik on, pushing closer to Jaehwan until his back hits the bed. He hovers over Jaehwan, shifting only so the giggling man below him can pull his legs into the bed, Wonshik digging his knees in on either side of Jaehwan’s legs as he dives back in. 

There is a clearing of a voice followed by “Ahem.” from the door, but the pair doesn’t notice, their attention focusing on each other instead. It’s when the voice says “Boys?” that Wonshik hops up from Jaehwan, snapping his head towards the source of the voice as Jaehwan gasps below him. 

Jaehwan sits up with a yelp and says in a chirpy voice, as if he weren’t just making out with a guy on his bed in the middle of the night. “Hey Yeonnie! You’re up?”

The man is sporting an unimpressed look, scowling at Wonshik then turning back to Jaehwan. “I got up to get water and realized I didn’t hear the recorder. I thought ‘wasn’t that why his friend was coming over?’ Thought I’d check.” he glares at Wonshik, the glint in his eyes almost making Wonshik whimper. 

Jaehwan chuckles, slapping Wonshik’s shoulder “Oh I finished playing it! He really liked it.”

Wonshik nods quickly, awkwardly laughing, “Yeah, I did. It was really good.” He’s thankful his erection is slowly dying down, his fight-or-flight reflex kicking in thanks to Jaewhan’s older brother.

_Yeonnie_ raises an eyebrow, “Oh? Good to hear. Well, Hwannie, since you’re done playing for him, maybe it’s time to say goodbye to your friend?”

Groaning, Jaehwan pouts “But Hakyeon-” 

“You have class in the morning, Jaehwan. It’s late enough. You can see him off.” Hakyeon chuckles, turning to leave but not before he shoots Wonshik another death glare. Wonshik gulps. 

Jaehwan sighs, looking at Wonshik with a regretful smile and a shrug. He walks the younger man down, lingering against the door as Wonshik puts his shoes back on. “Well…” he starts off, biting his bottom lip. 

Wonshik tries not to groan when his semi-soft length brushes against his boxers. He glances back up at Jaehwan with a smile, despite the agitation on his dick, “...this was fun.” he concludes for the older male. Jaehwan is beaming at him as Wonshik rises to his full height, leaning in close to Jaehwan, whispering “I’d love to hear you play your recorder more.” 

The brunet bites the inside of his cheek, staring up at the slightly taller male as he smiles, “I’d like that a lot,” his eyes lidded as he adds “then maybe afterwards I could play with your recor-”

_“Jaehwan, are you still downstairs?!”_ Hakyeon yells from his room, causing Wonshik to wince in panic.

“I’m going to bed, I promise! He’s leaving right now!” Jaehwan shouts back, looking at Wonshik with a wink, moving closer to place a peck on Wonshik’s lips. “‘Till next time.” Jaehwan says, pushing the younger male out and closing the door. 

Wonshik stares at the closed door, grinning from ear-to-ear. He looks down and groans to find his jeans still slightly tightened around his crotch, sighing as he walks over to his car. He breaks into a quick chuckle when he remembers that his crush reciprocates his feelings, all thanks to a stupid pick-up line from his inner fuckboy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any typos but clearly I was going for crack almost (idk)


	17. Didn't expect me so soon? (HyuKen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Sanghyuk/Jaehwan (HyuKen)  
> Rating: E (explicit/NC-17)  
> Prompt: You are giving me all of you  
> Warning: hand-job

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sanghyuk comes way too fast.

_“Shit! Fuck!”_ Sanghyuk shouts, immediately sitting up, resting his weight on his forearms, peering down at the white streaks across his lower abdomen and pelvis. 

Jaehwan is also staring down at it with parted lips, which were supposed to be on Sanghyuk’s dick in a little bit, his fingers still wrapped around the base of the freshman’s cock. “Oh…” he says.

Sanghyuk feels mortified. If the floor could just open up and swallow him whole, that would be awesome, right about now. He glances up at the brunet with wide eyes “Uh, I’m sorry!” he shouts in panic, the only other response he could think of _I usually last longer,_ so he says “I don’t know what happened…I usually last much longer than this.” Sanghyuk implores, internally groaning as he thinks about how the junior probably doesn’t believe him. He leaves out the part _I usually last longer...when I jerk myself off._

He covers his face in embarrassment, in disbelief that his first sexual experience with someone else ends up with him coming way too early. He is sure that he has only been able to impress Jaehwan because he didn’t look like the typical first-year student, thanking puberty and his own ambitions at the gym for that, hoping that him looking mature will make up for the fact that he just started college and he’s still a virgin. “I am so sorry, I don’t- I didn’t mean to....” he splutters.

The older male lets out a small chuckle, removing his hand. “No, no, don’t apologize!” he insists, crawling over Sanghyuk to grab some wet wipes from the nightstand. “I guess I should take that as a compliment.” he jokes, giggling lowly, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he wipes at the drying come. Sanghyuk nearly hisses when the coolness touches his skin, gritting his teeth as he averts eye contact, feeling like a helpless kid. 

Sighing, he rubs the bridge of his nose, disappointment evident in his voice as he tells Jaehwan “You probably don’t want to see me again after this. Fuck, I’m sorry, you probably think I’m su-”

“Oh babe...Sanghyuk, relax.” the honey-sweet voice interrupts him. Jaehwan reaches out to pull the freshman’s hands away with a free hand, smiling reassuringly. “This didn’t change anything for me. I completely get it: it’s your first time with someone else, letting someone else see you like this...letting your inhibitions go...you are giving me all of you. We’ve all been there, so please don’t think I’m upset by this.” he chuckles, smiling shyly, soothingly tracing on the top of Sanghyuk’s hand “...and I still like you and I definitely still want to see you again.”

Sanghyuk blinks at him incredulously, the words _I think I love you_ buzzing on his tongue, but doesn’t leave his mouth; he has already embarrassed himself once today, he is _not_ about to do it a second time. To distract his possibly traitorous mouth, he kisses Jaehwan, one hand moving up to cup the older male’s cheek, the other resting on his waist. The brunet giggles against the kiss, his long nose digging into Sanghyuk’s cheek as he pulls away, pulling his lips into his mouth as he motions at the dirty wet wipe. “Let me just…” he says, bending over Sanghyuk’s lap once more to throw it at the trashcan. He does a quiet celebratory cheer, an _adorable_ tiny fist-bump to the air when the wipe makes it in. 

An affectionate chortle leaves through his pressed lips. Once Jaehwan moves back, he quickly tucks himself back in his boxers and pants, smiling sheepishly at the other, causing Jaehwan to throw his head back with a laugh. “Oh my god, you look like a little puppy that got caught stealing a cookie. You’re so cute, come here!” he mumbles, squeezing Sanghyuk’s face between his hands, pressing their lips together once more. 

Sanghyuk chuckles into the kiss, pulling Jaehwan down so they’re lying side-by-side, lips slowly sloshing together. He sighs as Jaehwan sucks in his bottom lips gently, his hands moving down the older male’s flank. Once he reaches the plump bottom, he gives it a squeeze, smirking when Jaehwan releases a pleased moan. He pulls away with a smile and Jaehwan looks back with hoods eyes. Sanghyuk gulps before asking, “Uh, so...do you want me to help you with...uh” he motions towards Jaehwan’s crotch, the brunet’s erection straining against his jeans, nervous because he’s worried he won’t be able to make Jaehwan come.

Jaehwan glances down and blinks up at Sanghyuk with a reassuring grin, nuzzling his nose into the younger male’s cheek. “It’s okay sweetheart, I’ll deal with that later. You don’t have to feel-”

“No, Jaehwan, I-” Sanghyuk pauses, licking his lips, “I-i want to help...you.” The junior opens his mouth to say something, eyebrows furrowing together but Sanghyuk interrupts him once more, saying with confidence “I want to touch you.”

The words have Jaehwan’s eyebrows relaxing, mouth opening into a shy “Oh,” biting his bottom lip as he adds “are you sure? Because I know this might have been a lot and I-” 

“I’m sure.” Sanghyuk says, his fingernails slowly grazing the hot skin above Jaehwan’s hip bone. Jaehwan takes a shallow breath, gnawing on his lower lip as his coyly nods, quietly whispering an _okay._

Sanghyuk sits up slightly, fumbling with Jaehwan’s zipper, pulling the jeans and boxers down just enough so that his erection is accessible. Swallowing the lump in his throat, his wraps his hand around the base of the warm length, feeling a jolt of excitement going up his spine when Jaehwan lets out a little whimper. At first the weight of someone else’s dick in his palm felt a little weird at first, but he slowly starts stroking the cock. 

He rests his weight on his forearm, glancing up to the brunet digging half of his face into his pillow, pink lips parted as breathless moans spill out, his lashes fluttering against his cheeks. Sanghyuk starts jerking his hand faster, reveling at the trembling breath and groans the older male was releasing, gasping as a hand clutches at Sanghyuk’s chest. Jaehwan raises his head up momentarily, scrunching his brows, pouty lips parted as he moans “Sang _-fuck_ ” gasping as his orgasm takes over him. Sanghyuk swears his heart has lept out of his chest. 

Sanghyuk looks down at the streaks over his own hands, as he pumps Jaehwan’s cock two final times until the older male whimpers. He turns around to wipe his own hand with a wipe, throwing it into the trash before turning back around to find Jaehwan panting against his pillow with a satiated grin. The junior raises his arm, creating room and beckoning Sanghyuk to come into his embrace, immediately capturing Sanghyuk’s lips into a loud as he does, giggling as he does. His giggles grow louder as he says “That should be one of my nicknames for you...Sangfuck _.”_ throwing his head back as he laughs, his eyes crinkling in the corner, mouth open wide, “But not just in a normal tone, no, but like _Sanghyuk~”_ he moans out sensually, cackling as he does.

The freshman gawks at Jaehwan, lips curving into a grin as he kisses the older male, thinking to himself _yeah, I’m definitely in love with you._

Jaehwan chuckles against the kiss, mumbling “I love you too.”

Sanghyuk freezes just then, pulling away, gasping. The brunet blinks up at him in confusion, lips curved into amusement “Uh...did I say that out loud?”

The brunet tilts his head, holding back a laugh “Yeah...while you were kissing me.” Sanghyuk yelps, a hand moving to cover his mouth. Jaehwan bites his bottom lip, giggling as he adds “...and you blurted it out when you were coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any typos


	18. I will wait for you (KenBin)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Jaehwan/Hongbin (KenBin)  
> Rating: G  
> Prompt: All I can do is wait for you  
> Warning: none

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a short one!

Jaehwan bites at his cuticles as he sits on the bottom of the stairs, his heartbeat racing faster as he hears the footsteps become closer, glancing up when a pair of lips hop past him. He removes his fingers away from his mouth, blinking up with big wide eyes already watering, pink pouty lips already trembling. 

The man in front of him checks his side bag, passport between his teeth, phone in one hand. He smiles around the passport, giving himself a pleasing nod, then places his passport in it. He’s sporting the same wide grin when he looks at Jaehwan, lips slightly curving down as he sighs, “Oh baby,” he sighs, opening his arms “come here.” 

Jaehwan sniffles as his pads into Hongbin’s welcoming embrace, resting his head on the crook of his boyfriend’s neck, Hongbin’s hands reassuringly rubbing up and down the older male’s back. “It’ll only be a couple of months. I’ll be back before you know it.” 

“But who am I gonna play video games with.” Jaehwan whines, nuzzling his cheek against the younger’s neck, effectively causing Hongbin to giggle. 

“You can always play with Sanghyuk.”

“But he’s impatient.” the older male mumbles, his complaints sounding more like excuses than anything. 

Hongbin chuckles, arms tightening as he places several kisses over Jaehwan’s face before holding it between his hands. He peers into his boyfriend’s eyes as he says “Jaehwan, you’re a big boy. You can handle not seeing me for two months. And we can still video chat.” 

Jaehwan pouts his lips more, nodding his head like a scolded child, as he mutters “All I can do is wait for you, I guess.” 

The younger male bites back a smile, pressing a loud, wet kiss on his boyfriend’s lips. “It won’t be so awful, trust me! I’ll call you tonight as soon as I get there, okay? Now go back upstairs and get in bed: you’ve still got plenty of time to sleep in. I’ve gotta go, the cab’s waiting for me.” 

Shaking his head petulantly, Jaehwan furrows his eyebrows, “No I wanna see you for as long as I can.” 

Hongbin playfully rolls his eyes, slinging his arm over the older male’s shoulder as he leads them towards the door. “You’ll see me on your phone tonight, but okay, you can watch me get in the cab.” He turns to place another peck on Jaehwan’s cheek, “But I want you to go back to bed as soon as I’m inside, all right?”

Jaehwan nods diligently. Hongbin opens the door and walks out the screen door in the slightly dark early morning, placing another long kiss on Jaehwan’s pouty lips, the older male whimpering slightly as he pulls away. He pulls away from his boyfriend, knowing if he doesn’t leave now he’ll miss his flight. Once he sits in the cab, he smiles widely, waving at his boyfriend. Jaehwan gives a cute little sweater-paw wave back behind the screen door, lips still jutted out, puffy eyes downcast. He motions for Jaehwan to go back inside, waiting for the older male to hesitantly close the door. His heart sinks slightly, as he bites his lower lip, nodding to the cab driver. He grins to himself; it’ll be a tough couple of months, but at least he’ll be home in time for Valentine’s Day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any typos


	19. It all leads back to you (ChaBin)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Hongbin/Hakyeon (ChaBin; platonic-ish)  
> Rating: G  
> Prompt: It’s a road headed towards you  
> Warning: canon; mentions of military & Hongbin's departure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hongbin gets a visit from Hakyeon before the leader discharges.

“Hakyeon?” Hongbin asks in startelement, looking around the room in surprise. When his platoon leader told him that he had a visitor, the last person he expected was Cha Hakyeon, dressed in his army camo. He hadn’t seen the leader since the last time they met up a few months back, back when fans rejoiced over the reunion of _their_ group, before…

The leader has that same gentle smile that always managed to reassure him, no matter what. “Hey Hongbin.”

Hongbin bites his lower lip, averting his eyes “What are you doing here Hakyeon?”

The older male is still smiling, his lips curved up patiently, shrugging. “I thought I’d pay my favorite _dongsaeng_ a visit." 

Scoffing, Hongbin snickers “You’re favorite dongsaeng is Sanghyuk.” he looks up at the older man with a snicker.

Hakyeon dramatically clutches at his chest, taking in an offended gasp “I love all of my kids equally.”

“You’re the one that used the word favorite.” Hongbin quips. Hakyeon shoots him a glare, the type of intimidating look he would shoot at the variety show producers whenever he wanted to defend his bandmates. The younger male, snorts, bursting out in laughter over Hakyeon’s expression, a hint of nostalgia hitting him. By the time he stops laughing, he glances up, watching Hakyeon smiling once more. He sighs, moving up in for a hug, Hakyeon immediately grasping him in a firm embrace. The touch immediately soothes him, his shoulders finally relaxing the slightest after months strain. He pulls away to look up at the other, hoping his eyes aren’t brimming too much. “It’s good to see you, Yeon.” he mutters

“It’s good to see you too.” the older male responds. The fondness in his grin shifts a little to sadness. “So you probably already know that I, uh...I’m discharging in a week. I wanted to come by and see you before I did. I met up with Jaehwan a couple of days ago-”

“How is he?” Hongbin interrupts, swallowing the lump in his throat. 

Hakyeon stills, nodding with a soft, slightly proud grin “He’s good. He’s great. The band’s treating him well, you know. Making lots of friends, but that’s Jaehwan for you.” Hongbin laughs, agreeing. The older male nods, jaw slightly clenching before he starts off “Look, Kong,” Hongbin straightens his back, feeling his back stiffen a little, knowing they can’t avoid the elephant in the room any more. Hakyeon pauses as he looks at Hongbin, eyes forlorn “everything that has happened…” he stops once more, gaze steady on the younger as if he were carefully choosing his words. He exhales deeply, jaw still clenched as a hint of anger glints in his eyes “I should have been there.”

Hongbin snorts, half in agony, half in appreciation. “Hakyeon there’s nothing you could’ve done,” stopping to collect himself, letting out a bitter chuckle, “I’m the one that has gotten myself in this situation.” He snickers as he adds “Besides, it’s not like you have a _choice_ to leave the military, and do what? Play the flute in front of Jelpi’s building until they begged you to stop.” 

“Hey, I’m fucking great with the flute! And you know it!” the leader demands. 

“Yeah, yeah, you are.” Hongbin laughs, sighing as his laughter dies down. 

It’s quiet for a second, the only source of noise being the clock sitting on the wall. They don’t have much time, with Hongbin’s platoon leader telling him he has ten minutes for his ‘meeting.’ Hakyeon looks up, his shoulders straight in a strong, sophisticated stance he’s always had as a leader and graceful dancer, now further defined by his experience in the military. “I’m not gonna resign, you know.”

Hongbin blinks at the leader, his heart leaping at those words, mouth drying. He shifts his head slightly as he licks his lips. “Oh?”

The older male scoffs, shaking his head “After what they did? How awfully they handled this, _all of this?_ Hell no.”

Somewhere, deep inside, a selfish part of Hongbin is rejoicing in glee, his chest full of appreciation for this man he has followed for all these years, the man who has protected him and fought for him countless amounts of times, the friend who had chased him down all those years ago and convinced him to come right back. His eyes brim in tears slightly, thinking about the song the older male wrote about them, about sharing their worries, talking about their sadness, laughing on long nights.

_It’s a road headed towards you, always._

Hakyeon reaches out a hand, slightly cupping the younger male’s cheek. Hongbin leans into the touch, starved of this affection for months, biting his lips down to hold back the tremble even as his fingers quiver. The older male looks him directly in the eye, forcing through a smile as he says “Just get through your service, be happy for hyung, mmm-kay? Just get through this and then when you’re done and all our our services are complete…” he pauses, tongue swiping out at his lips hesitantly, as if he doesn’t want to jinx anything, as if he doesn’t want to be too optimistic and end up bringing himself down from unreasonable expectations. Of course, this skepticism only lasts a moment, the sternness and grit returning to the older male’s face. He moves his hands down to Hongbin’s shoulder, pressing tightly as he whispers reassuringly “Let’s just get through, Kong. I know you can, I know _we_ can. And then we’ll fix it, hmm? We’ll fix it all, I promise.” 

The leader waits for Hongbin to give a wavering nod, throat straining as if he were holding back something, eyes trained on the younger. He gives the back of Hongbin’s head a pat, turning around quickly, as if he were in some sudden hurry. Hongbin gulps, still chewing on his bottom lip. “Will any of this be fixed...Hakyeon?” The question is weighed with so many unmentioned factors, so many hurdles hinted.

Hakyeon stops in his tracks, turning his head to look back at Hongbin, his face full of determination. If there’s one thing Hongbin knows about the leader after their friendship of nearly ten years, then it is how Cha Hakyeon strong-willed the man is, how if he makes a promise, he will keep it. Hakyeon shoots him a grin, his eyes softening as he lightly chuckles “It’s worth a shot, isn’t it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm Jaehwan-centric and Nbin isn't even my OTP like that but I find their dynamic so touching. At one point I bawled listening to "Resemble" while writing this lololol Please excuse any typos ^_^


	20. Bust Your Knee Caps (HaKen; HyuKen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Jaehwan/Hakyeon; Jaehwan/Sanghyuk  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: I'm on my knees  
> Warning: toxic/obsessive relationship; uh hinted-possible-violence; mentions of crime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jaehwan wants to break up with Hakyeon but Hakyeon isn't ready to let go

_ “Jyanie, don’t leave me” _ Jaehwan sighs reading the text, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he groans. 

Sanghyuk glances up from the comic he’s lazily skimming through. “Another one?”

The older male glances up, letting out an exasperated sigh through pouty lips. He opens his mouth to respond before his phone buzzes again, snapping his eyes down. 

_ “You said you’d love me forever! Come on Jae!”  _ immediately followed by another text.

_ “I’m on my knees, baby. Pleaseeee” _

Jaehwan throws his head back with a groan, his dark brown hair flopping slightly. Sanghyuk narrows his eyes at the shorter male’s neck, scanning the wide expanse of pale skin. The brunet looks back at Sanghyuk with a tired look “He’s been messaging me non-stop.” He glares down at the phone when he gets yet another text. 

_ “Look, we don’t even have to get married right now if that’s what you’re worried about. I just want to be with you, Jaehwan. Please baby, come back.” _

The  _ he _ in this matter is Cha Hakyeon: Jaehwan’s ex-boyfriend, that is if the older male would stop messaging him about it. The musical actor didn’t think he’d ever end up in this situation, as the object of Hakyeon’s infatuation. He didn’t think much of it when the older male had requested to meet Jaehwan after a performance at his local theater, allured him a little, flattered him a lot, taking him out for dinner and complimenting everything from the younger male’s stage presence to his singing to the pointed tip of his nose. He was told that Hakyeon had a penchant for  _ cute, pretty things _ so he figured what’s the worst that could happen entertaining the older male’s affection, because, you see, Jaehwan had a penchant for attention from handsome men. Next thing he knows their one year anniversary is coming up and he’s meeting his charismatic boyfriend’s family and he’s in all the family pictures at Hakyeon’s sister’s wedding and engaging in Secret Santa with them and talking about adopting a puppy with the older male as Uncle Rocco talks about  _ “gutting those sons of bitches”  _ in the other room-

Of course, that was before he had realized that Hakyeon is from the notorious Cha-family; the man being equal parts charming, equal parts ruthless. While Hakyeon isn’t  _ directly  _ involved with any crime committed by his family’s crime syndicate, he and his family can be downright terrifying when it comes to, er, personal affairs. He’s been meaning to call things off with the other for a couple of months now, but it was once Hakyeon had gotten on one knee and popped that pretty question a week ago on Valentine’s Day that Jaehwan decided enough is enough; he needed to bring an end to this _now._ He’s about to complain some more to Sanghyuk when he glances down on his phone. 

_ “You know how much my family loves you, right? My mom even said you’re the one, baby. Did you know that? She was so happy when she found out I was going to propose to you. She loves you, they all do.”  _

The message is frantically followed by  _ “I don’t want it to come to this, but you know my family business right, sweetheart? I don’t think anyone will be pleased by this.” _

Jaehwan gulps reading this, knowing full well what the implications of the text are. When Hakyeon’s cousin got cheated on last year, some  _ friends of the family _ made sure to pay her fiancé a visit, the words  _ busted _ and  _ kneecaps  _ and  _ crowbars _ were casually floated around as Hakyeon told him the story. The musical actor shivers at his place, partly in disbelief that he might be getting  _ fucking threatened _ by his boyfriend, no,  _ ex-boyfriend.  _

Sanghyuk blinks at the stunned male, closing the comic he’s holding as he nonchalantly asks “What’s he saying?” He sees Jaehwan peer down at yet another text message, round, brown eyes widening, a shiver passing through the lithe body currently dressed in an oversized sweatshirt and shorts. 

The musical actor pulls his bottom lip in between his teeth, gnawing at them as he looks up at his friend, letting out an anguished sigh as he reads out  _ “Jyanie, there’s still time to make this right. You can still come back and the family won’t have to know about any of this and my pretty baby can still show off his pretty little face at his little show this weekend.” _ His lips jut out, perplexed with a slight tremble he is clearly holding back. He clears his throat as he says “Let’s just say...he’s really  _ insisting _ that I take him back.”

Sanghyuk takes in the sight in front of him, his heart skipping a beat over the worry on Jaehwan’s face, feeling it clench as he sees the older male squirm where he’s standing, anxiously glancing at his phone with each buzz. He licks his lips as he sits up from where he’s lying on the couch, placing the comic book on Jaehwan’s coffee table. He nods, carefully asking “Well...do you want to be with him?” His friend’s straight-face makes him correct his question, “I mean, do you still love him, or like him even? Can you see yourself being happy with him if you got back together?”

Jaehwan rubs at his temples, taking a seat next to Sanghyuk on the couch as he throws his head back, pretty lashes fluttering over his cheeks. He stares at his knees, absentmindedly picking at a thread of his shorts. “Of course I like him...love him even…that’s why it was so hard to break up with him in the first place...” he mumbles, exhaling deeply as he turns his head towards Sanghyuk “but who in their right mind would want to stay with a man threatening them if they want to leave.” He whines loudly, tossing his head down on Sanghyuk’s wide shoulder, bemoaning “If I don’t stay with him he won’t tell his uncle to call off his men.” He picks his head up, chin poking into the younger male’s shoulder, lips jutted into a pout as he whines “I’m scared Hyukkie.”

Sanghyuk clenches his jaw, nearly cooing at how adorable his friend looks even when his crazy ex-boyfriend is sending him some pretty alarming messages, even if he personally knows it’s mostly to intimidate the brunet...he thinks. The younger male holds back the smile on his face, pressing his lips together before saying “Look I don’t know much about your boyfriend,” which is a lie, considering Hakyeon is Sanghyuk’s employer...but Jaehwan doesn’t know that, “but it seems like he obviously cares about you.” 

He feels shitty as fuck saying those words, knowingly convincing Jaehwan to stay in a toxic relationship...but it’s part of his job description. Sanghyuk ‘befriended’ Jaehwan through a “Corgi Lovers Only” group on Facebook, with orders to infiltrate the musical star’s life; get close to him, report to Hakyeon what he likes or doesn’t like, protect him from enemies of the Cha-family, ensure that he only has eyes for Cha Hakyeon and Cha Hakyeon only. He didn’t think much of it whenever his stomach felt like it was brimming with butterflies from a mere pout from Jaehwan, or whenever his heart did a weird little flop anytime he heard the older male’s breathless giggles. 

The last thing  _ Sanghyuk _ expected was for Jaehwan to become the object of his infatuation. Yet, here they are. He swallows the lump in his throat as he continues, “I don’t think he’d actually ever hurt you Jaehwan,”  _ I hope _ remains unsaid. “I think he’s just messaging you all that from a place of hurt...and he loves you.”

He watches Jaehwan scrunching his eyebrows in disagreement, nibbling on his upper lip this time as he thinks. Like clock-work, the phone buzzes once more. Sanghyuk peers over Jaehwan’s shoulder to read.

_ “Baby, I’m sorry. I don’t mean that and you know I’d never say that to you. I would never do anything to hurt you, okay? I just miss you so much and I love you.”  _

He glances up at the brunet’s face, watching the older male chew on the inside of his cheek, pondering on what to do next. The phone buzzes with each consecutive message following that.

_ “Sweetheart, can I talk to you, please?” _

_ “I miss your voice.”  _

_ “Jyani, baby, please call me?”  _

_ "Let's just talk for a minute, okay? I just wanna talk." _

_ "I love you." _

Sanghyuk strains his neck, nearly gritting his teeth as he reads the texts, half the intention to throw that against the wall, pull Jaehwan in by the chin, and kiss him senseless. It’s not like the younger male hasn’t thought about it, about admitting his feelings to Jaehwan, about convincing the other to run away with him, start over somewhere else with new identities. But he knows it’s not that simple: Jaehwan has worked hard to become a well-established musical actor that he wouldn’t just throw away and wherever they end up going Hakyeon will find them.

He looks up at Jaehwan again to see the other male’s expression relaxing slightly, sighing as he looks over at Sanghyuk with a lazy smile, shrugging his shoulder as he says “Maybe you’re right. I guess it wouldn’t hurt...to call him?” He stares at Sanghyuk expectedly. 

Sanghyuk has always prided himself as being cool as a cucumber, which is how he’s able to push down the words stuck in his throat, ignoring the weight in his chest as he nods. “Yeah, just talk to him at least?”

Jaehwan licks his lips, looking down at his phone then nodding once more. He gives Sanghyuk a smile, pressing the younger male’s knee as he mumbles “Okay, I will.” 

With a sigh, he calls Hakyeon, pressing the phone against his ear as it rings once, twice, and then  _ “Jyani? Sweetheart? Oh my god, baby, I thought you wouldn’t call.”  _

  
The musical actor gives Sanghyuk’s knee another press, grinning at the younger male before moving off of the couch, “Hey Hakyeon, yeah it’s me.” Sanghyuk watches as Jaehwan walks towards the kitchen, his shoulders bouncing slightly as he lets out a giggle. The younger male throws his head back to stare at the ceiling, holding back the groan in his chest. He sighs as he hears Jaehwan laughing in the other room, thinking to himself  _ “Maybe someday.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Initially I was going to take a _completely_ different route with this prompt and had been thinking of a plot for a couple weeks now, but I was strongly inspired a couple nights ago after I heard "Bust Your Knee Caps" by Pomplamoose. Please excuse any typos lol


	21. Poison Spider (KenVi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Wonshik/Jaehwan (KenVi)  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: I follow my instincts  
> Warning: major character death/mentions of blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wonshik might be smitten with the blond FBI agent in his security office.

Jaehwan squints as he looks at large monitors against the wall, the dirty blond hair slightly reflecting off the screen. He raises his eyebrows as he turns to the man behind him. Wonshik is currently wiping his wire-rimmed glasses, _purposely_ keeping his attention on the specs instead of the blond standing five feet away from him. Jaehwan eyes the Head of Security, dressed in the maroon blazer a size too big, security badge with a fading four year-old photo hanging off of the chest pocket, black hair parted on the side, sporting a two-day old stubble. Wonshik plays with the buttons of his jacket, eyes looking everywhere but in Jaehwan’s direction; it’s endearing, really.

The blond licks the edge of a canine tooth, holding back a smile before piping up “So, Mr. Kim,” he watches Wonshik scramble and snapping his head up, “you control all the cameras in the entire casino and hotel here?” 

Wonshik leans against the main security desk, fidgeting slightly as if he is trying to figure out how he’d look best standing. He clears his throat before looking up at the blond. “Yes, absolutely.” He folds his arm awkwardly, leaning against the chair as Jaehwan walks towards monitors, eyes shifting from screen-to-screen. Wonshink continues “Anything that’s going on in our premises is caught on our cameras.”

Jaehwan gives a delightful hum, turning towards Wonshik, motioning at the monitors “I mean, this is incredible. I- I don’t even know how you do this. You’ve got to keep your eyes on literally everything.” He shoots an awestruck smile.

The other man grins shyly, shrugging “On everything and everyone, at all times; a responsibility I’ve come to accept as the Head of Security.” 

“Incredible.” Jaehwan says in a breathless voice, eyes trained on the taller male, lips still parted in astonishment. He sees Wonshik’s eyes widening slightly, stubbled cheeks twitching as he holds back a smile. The blond looks up to two blacked-out-screens, scrunching his eyebrows through his fringes as he asks in confusion “Oh...how come these are off?”

Wonshik shoots a quick glance towards those screens, shrugging once more “Oh those are for the penthouse, actually. It’s closed off for construction so we’ve got the cameras off.” 

Jaehwan nods, curiously eyeing the monitors as he turns to Wonshik. “Wouldn’t that be some sort of major security threat.”

“Well, we were worried about the dust and debris, thought perhaps it’s best to keep it turned off, you know, not to mess up our equipment.” the raven-haired male responds, adding “And there’s no real need to see a bunch of remodeling, right?”

“Oh, that makes sense.”

The buzzing of a walkie-talkie distracts the pair, a jumbled speech coming through the speaker. _“Sir, we’re out here on the casino floor. What floor again did you say we should check on?”_

Wonshik lets out an exasperated breath, reaching down to the walkie-talkie as he says, “Table 12, the women in the blue dress in table 12.” He looks up and smiles at Jaehwan when the walkie-talkie buzzes once more. 

_“Copy that, Table 14.”_

Wonshik nearly rolls his eyes, his lips twitching in annoyance as he repeats “Lady in blue dress in table 12, please.” 

The blond nods his head, curiously looking at Wonshik as he asks "Why check specifically on that lady? How do you know that lady might be doing something shady?"

"Oh, well," Wonshik starts, puffing his cheeks slightly then blowing out the air as he shrugs, "I follow my instincts, I guess. Hasn't served me wrong so far and got me to Head of Security." he says with a chuckle.

Jaehwan holds back the giggle in his throat, pressing his lips together. He quirks an eyebrow, casually asking “So, you can turn off these off whenever?”

The Head of Security blinks up at Jaehwan, mouth opening and closing as he splutters “Well we’ve, ahem,” he clears his throat, “you know it really depends on the case and we need to have proper authorization before we do...but we’ve got personnel standing on both ends of the hall, twenty-four hours, with very tight entrance as to who gets in and out-”

“Oh wow. Very tight-ship, even for a floor on construction.” the blond quips, chuckling. The sight of Wonshik audibly gulping has him giggling, biting his lower as he glances at the taller male through his lashes. He leans against the desk, tilting his head as he nonchalantly asks “So what kind of personnel are we talking. 

Wonshik’s parted lips curve up to a smile, nearly shooting the other male puppy eyes, shrugging as he says “About a six-man security team and an executive butler-”

Jaehwan throws his head back with a laugh, his neck full on display. “An executive butler on the construction floor?”

“W-well you know, to keep our crew fed and taken care of. You know?”

Static breaks through the walki once more asking _“Sir, we’re here at table 12, but we don’t see anything odd.”_

Wonshik exhales through his nose, taking a seat in his chair then reaching for the handle as he says “Lady in blue dress; she’s killing it and I want an eye on her, okay? Keep a close look.” He puts the walkie-talkie down, sighing in frustration.

_“Copy that.”_

He turns his attention back to blond, sheepishly smiling as he motions at the walkie, “I- sorry about the constant interruptions.” he chuckles.

The blond shakes his head, moving closer towards the Head of Security, fingers gliding across the desk as he smiles “Oh don’t worry about it. That just seems so frustrating.”

Wonshik shrugs, sheepishly smiling at the other as he points at his badge, “Well you know, the responsibility and all.” He stands up, staring at the shorter male, licking his bottom lip then clearing his throat. “Well, speaking of Head of Security responsibilities, I have to relieve all personnel myself...personally. So if I could see your ID once more, then I’ll get you a badge set up.”

Jaehwan smiles, reaching into his pockets for his FBI badge only for it to slip out of his fingers. “Oops, what can I say? Butter fingers sometimes.”

The taller male chuckles, possibly louder than he needs to, as he bends down to retrieve it. He picks up the badge, giving it a quick glance, his focus immediately drawn to Jaehwan’s ID photo. The same dark blond hair in the picture, only swept up and away from his forehead, lips pink and plush despite the tight-lipped smile, just as handsome as he is in person. Wonshik finds himself subconsciously licking his lips, swallowing the lump in his throat. He stands with a grin, standing as he turns towards Jaehwan. “I must say, Mr. Lee, you look just as go-” 

His words are cut off when he feels a force bump into his chest, a sudden sharp pain in his abdomen. The mop of dirty blond hair covers most of his vision as he feels an arm embracing around him. He gasps in pain, feeling the pain become sharper then dulls. Jaehwan pulls away from Wonshik, moving his arm back, the sharp blade sliding into the holster strapped to his forearm. The taller male nearly yelps, staggering forward as his hand shifts towards his abdomen. 

The blond is quick to wrap an arm around Wonshik’s waist, a hand reaching up to the taller male’s cheek. Wonshik’s vision blurs slightly as he moves his hand up, palm covered in red. “Is...is this bloo-” he slurs, toppling forward.

“Shh, shh,” the blond assures him, pulling Wonshik’s face up to look into his eyes, “shh, it’s okay, it’s okay...I’ve got you.” Jaehwan moves his hand to the back of Wonshik’s head, pressing their foreheads together. He looks the raven-haired man in the eyes, lips curved in a gentle reassuring smile as his fingers wrap around the lanyard hanging off of Wonshik’s neck. “Now look,” he starts off with a soft voice, as if he’s coaxing a scared animal while transferring the lanyard over Wonshik’s head to his, pulling it down to his neck. He moves the arm holding Wonshik up, brushing a thumb against the taller male’s cheek. “I fixed a little something on the blade, okay? So don't worry, you shouldn’t be feeling pain.”

Wonshik's blurry vision focuses on Jaehwan’s lips, his knees wobbling until he feels himself collapsing. The protective arm is back around his waist as he hears the blond cooing, gently helping him down to the ground. Jaehwan’s hand keeps his head up as he mumbles “Shh, it’s okay.” His thumb caresses over Wonshik’s cheekbone as he continues muttering “Close your eyes, okay? Close your eyes.” The taller male gasps as his legs completely give out, Jaehwan’s arms steadying the fall, stopping him inches from collision. “Hey, hey,” shorter male whispers, laying him down on the floor as he hovers over Wonshik.

The Head of Security blinks up as the blond climbs on top of him, soft, delicate fingers stroking his cheeks once more. He blinks up as he chokes, eyes scanning over that beautiful face he was admiring just a minute ago, muddled brain _still_ somehow admiring it. Jaehwan shoots him a dazzling smile, as he shushes Wonshik. “Close your eyes, sweetheart. Don’t let this face be the last thing you ever see.”

Gasping in sharply, Wonshik croaks “Am I- am I really dying.”

Jaehwan sighs, giving him a sad smile, brushing the back of his hands against Wonshik’s face, “Yes Wonshik, yes...we’re all dying.” 

Wonshik stares into his brown eyes, covered by pretty lashes, pink mouth curved into a sweet, angelic smile, a look of pity and calmness all gracing his face at once. The raven-haired man finds his entire body numb, lacking the sensation in his face, yet tries to force out a smile as he whispers “O-okay.” as he lids close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOlmUCmhCwM) scene from _Smokin' Aces_. Please excuse any typos, thank you!


	22. Madness to Magnet (KenBin)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Jaehwan/Hongbin (KenBin); mentioned-Jaehwan/Wonshik; Hongbin/Jiyeon  
> Rating: M (Mature; R)  
> Prompt: No matter what I do, I won’t be able to leave you  
> Warning: infidelity; hinted-sex (no smut)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> KenBin are political consultants on competing campaigns. Oh, and they have history.

Jaehwan claps while nodding his head, yawning discreetly behind his hands as his eyes scan the room. The attendees are cheering boisterously at the point his candidate made about taxes, _right_ as Jaehwan expected. He notices from the corner of his eyes someone approaching at his left, his attention planted on the congresswoman on the stage. He frowns when he notices she used the word _“I”_ instead of _“we,”_ tsking as he takes a mental note to go over that with her later. 

“It looks like your boss is killing it out there.” says a familiar voice. 

He doesn’t need to turn around and see who that baritone voice belongs too, lips almost curving up to a grin. Jaehwan joins in as the crowd starts clapping once more, eyes still focused on his candidate. “Yep, she sure is.” he quips back. 

The man next to him chuckles deeply, retorting “Of course we’ll have to see how well she’s able to keep this momentum in the primaries. Remind me, did her husband intend that dick-pic for his intern or his secretary? My memory’s a little fuzzy.”

Jaehwan scoffs, finally turning over towards the other male, finding Hongbin standing there with a dimples smirk, an eyebrow quirked under his brown bangs, blazer covering the sleek white shirt tucked into his navy dress pants, hands in his pant pockets, slightly bouncing with his brown dress shoes; looking just as attractive as the last time. _Handsome fucker._ Jaehwan crinkles his nose, snapping his head up so his golden bangs would move away from his eye. “She’s still the best candidate. You know it’s messed up how she’s getting all the heat for something stupid her husband did, when I bet if it were the other way around and her husband was running in this election, the media would not give two shits-”

“Oh-ho-ho,” the other man interrupts, _charming dimples_ still on full display, white teeth flashing as he continues, “while misogyny is clearly evident, let’s not pretend like that’s the only reason people don’t like her. Come on Jaehwan, she’s preaching about helping the working class then all of her fundraisers are full of rich CEOs.” 

The blond shrugs, as if Hongbin isn’t even there as he mumbles “The crowd still loves her.” 

“But can she actually win?” Hongbin asks, with a chuckle.

Jaehwan clicks his tongue, arms folded in front of his chest covered by a checkered dress-shirt, tapping his right foot. “Sure she will. At least her promises are realistic and do-able. Meanwhile your man is selling a pipe-dream.” Hongbin throws his head back and laughs, shoulders shaking as he does. The blond finds himself biting back a smile brought on by the knowledge that he caused that. Jaehwan tilts his head as he focuses on his candidate’s speech. 

“What are you doing, Jaehwan? You know my guy would love to have you on his team and I can give a _stellar_ recommendation.”

Snorting, Jaehwan grins towards Hongbin. “Oh yeah? And tell him what? That I give a good hand-job.”

“Eh, you’re also good with your mouth.” Jaehwan bursts out in laughter, pushing his tongue against his cheek as he does. Hongbin’s still smiling as he asks “Come on Jae, wouldn’t you like working for the winning ticket?”

“Psh, yeah right. And go work for the guy actively gunning for my dad.” mockingly asks Hongbin.

Laughing, Hongbin pushes his face towards Jaehwan and just as teasingly responds “He’s not gunning for your dad exactly...just all rich assholes owning these giant corporations and your dad just happens to be one of them.”

Jaehwan clicks his tongue, not even bothering to hold back the smirk on his face. “Sure...but that still doesn’t change the fact that your candidate isn’t going to win. The party isn’t backing him and his proposals aren’t feasible. I think I’ll take my chances here.”

The younger male nods, looking down at the floor as he kicks at the hotel carpet, muttering “You’re a stubborn one, Lee Jaehwan. But I guess if your candidate loses, you can always run back and work at daddy’s company.” he glances up with a smirk.

“Oh, fuck you Hongbin.” Jaehwan almost hisses, throwing his head up and rolling his eyes. He hears Hongbin giggling, obviously expecting this exact reaction. The blond clenches his jaw, shaking his head and focusing on his candidate, mentally running through talking points.

Hongbin behaves for the next couple of minutes, silently standing beside Jaehwan and listening to the representative. Yet, the mere presence of the other male nearly six inches from him gives the blond heart palpitations. He quickly glances over to find Hongbin actually listening at the speech, head tilted, wide eyes fully focused on the candidate. Jaehwan finds his eyes lingering on the younger male’s chiseled jawline, lips twitching to press kisses against it, tongue subconsciously running over his canines.

It’s when Hongbin’s gazes shift and lock with Jaehwan’s eyes that he takes a sharp intake of breath, immediately looking away. Jaehwan clears his throat, exhaling in exasperation as Hongbin snickers next to him. The blond bites his bottom lip when Hongbin moves closer to Jaehwan, puffs of warmth breath hitting the tip of his ear, a hand placed on his lower back. “You know, it’s not nice to stare.” the younger male whispers against his ear, lips nearly a hair away from his skin. Jaehwan closes his eyes, gnawing on his bottom lip nearly gasping when the hand slowly slides from his back to his hip, giving it a _squeeze._

Jaehwan doesn’t need to turn around to notice Hongbin tilting his head, eyes calculating as they take in the older male’s profile. The blond feels a shiver run through his spine when Hongbin asks in a husky voice “Why don’t we get out of here?”

* * *

The door of Hongbin’s hotel room is slammed open, Jaehwan pushing the younger male into the room, giggling through kisses. Hongbin laughs back against Jaehwan’s lips, shutting the door behind the blond, nearly dropping the small plastic bag in his hands as he does, hand immediately gripping at Jaehwan’s waist. The younger male moves his hands away from Jaehwan momentarily as he takes his blazer off, lips still connected to Jaehwan’s, hands back on the older male right away. 

“Fuck, you’re so hot.” Hongbin mumbles, as a hand cups one of Jaehwan’s asscheeks, pressing his pelvis against the older male’s clothed erection.

Jaehwan moans when Hongbin gropes at his ass, panting harshly as he tugs on Hongbin’s shirt, pulling it out of the brunet’s pants. He stares at Hongbin through hooded eyes “Let’s get this shirt off” he laughs against the other’s mouth, hand sliding below the undershirt to caress the hidden abs. 

Hongbin hisses, chuckling, “Shit that feels cold.” The blond’s eyes widen, blinking up at the other male. He pulls his hand out immediately, slightly startling the younger male. “Hey, you okay?”

“Uh-huh,” Jaehwan responds with a nod, “um…” He glances down at his hand then back up at Hongbin with an exaggerated smile. “I’m just gonna- I just want to freshen up, a bit.” he mutters quietly, pointing towards the bathroom with a chuckle. “Just like ten minutes, maybe?”

The brunet is staring at Jaehwan, round eyes trained on the blond’s face with a knowing look. He gulps nodding, a hand moving up to brush his fringes away. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, of course.” Hongbin pulls at the back of his dress shirt where it’s still tucked into his pants, giving Jaehwan a smile as he walks towards the bed. 

“Thanks.” Jaehwan responds with a tight-lipped grin, sliding into the bathroom. The door closes with a click and he sighs, glancing down at the engagement band on his ring finger. He walks over to the sink, staring at his reflection as he turns on the sink, bending down and wetting his face. He glances back up at his reflection, watching the way a water droplet slides from temple down to his cheekbones, his damp fringes sticking out slightly. Jaehwan lets out a puff of breath, licking his lips as he takes off the engagement ring, placing it on the bathroom counter.

* * *

Jaehwan draws random patterns on Hongbin’s chest with his fingertip, imaging the design on the brunet’s chest. He nuzzles his head further into Hongbin’s neck, snickering when the younger male whines “Yah, Lee Jaehwan! Your hair’s all in my face.” Despite the complaint, he feels Hongbin’s fingers glide through his locks, caressing at his scalp. Jaehwan nibbles on his lips, smiling like a spoiled child as he continues putting a phantom tattoo over Hongbin’s chest. “Are you ever gonna go back to brown?” he hears the other male mutter. 

The blond shrugs, muttering “Don’t know. I just retouched this a week ago.” Biting back a smile, he blinks up at Hongbin. “Why?” he asks, despite already knowing the answer.

Hongbin trills his lips as he glances up at the ceiling, grinning as he looks back down. “I just haven’t seen it in a while, that’s all.” Adding after a chuckle as a hand brushes away some of Jaehwan’s fringes “I like how you look in brown.”

“Oh really?” Jaehwan asks with a mischievous smirk, moving his head up to place a kiss on the corner of Hongbin’s jaw, muttering against it “You don’t think I look pretty as a blond?” He grazes his teeth along the jawline, his sharp nose skimming along the Hongbin’s cheek, until he gets to the chin. Jaehwan places a peck there, moving up to kiss on the corner of Hongbin’s lips, humming as he goes in for a lingering kiss. The younger male’s arm instinctively tightens around him, pulling Jaehwan against Hongbin’s chest. Jaehwan murmurs with a sigh against Hongbin’s lips “You sure fucked me like I looked pretty.”

Hongbin snorts, fingers digging into the blond locks and giving it a tug, moving back a couple of millimeters as retorts, “Of course I do. Have you ever looked at yourself?” he says, leaning in to nip at Jaehwan’s lips. Jaehwan giggles, pushing Hongbin away playfully, sitting up and stretching with a yawn. He glances at the room’s digital clock with a groaning, knowing that he doesn’t have to get back right away since the rest of their team is downstairs, but deciding that perhaps it’s best to head up. 

The blond hops off the bed, hand immediately reaching for the engagement band on the nightstand, swiping it down his finger. He walks towards the couch opposite the bed where he deposited his clothes, acutely aware of the gaze scanning his bare back and ass. “So,” Hongbin starts off in a playful voice, “when are you marrying your Prince Himbo.” 

Jaehwan scoffs, turning towards Hongbin as he buttons his shirt, smiling as he responds “Wonshik is _not_ a himbo...he’s a great guy.” 

Hongbin snorts, repeating the name “Wonshik? Sounds like a himbo to me.”

The older male shakes his head, chuckling with a fond smile “Oh you’re just fucking jealous.”

“That I am.” Hongbin admits with no hesitancy.

Jaehwan pauses for a second, blinking up at Hongbin then shyly grinning. He pulls his pants up, tucking his shirt in as he clears his throat, “But um, we were planning for a May wedding. It’d be after my birthday and, well you know, a nice spring wedding. Haven’t decided on the venue yet but my mother’s been pressuring us to have it at her place.” 

Hongbin snorts, “Jolly ol’ England?”

“That’s the one!” Jaehwan winks, shooting the other with a finger gun. They both chuckle, eventually coming to a moment of silence. Jaehwan licks his lips as he zips up his pants, glancing at Hongbin as he asks “So what about you? Have you decided on a date?”

The younger male nods, eyes averting Jaehwan’s as he picks on the bed sheets. “Yeah, we’re thinking about June.” he lets out a breathless chuckle as he adds “Jiyeon’s already got everything picked out: the flowers, the menu, the place, her dress, _my suit.”_

“Oh that’s wonderful, because God knows you can’t dress yourself to save your life.” Jaehwan remarks.

“Well good thing I’ve got my good looks and charm to do that instead.” the brunet responds, shooting Jaehwan a lop-sided grin, with a wink.

Jaehwan laughs, shaking his head as he puts his belt on. “I guess that’s no lie, you lucky bastard.” The blond goes in front of the mirror, making sure his hair is neat enough for him to walk out this room and to his own room where he can maybe take a quick shower, get dressed, hide the blooming hickies on his neck. He chews on the inside of his cheek, trying to suppress the idea of taking a shower _here,_ the rational part of him knowing he’d never leave if he stays for that. His eyes flick towards Hongbin’s, the younger male’s gaze directly on him.

Smirking, Jaehwan laughs “What’s the matter handsome? Never seen a walking art piece?” He half-expects the brunet to snort, maybe even just grimace, but Hongbin doesn’t do that. Jaehwan turns towards the man on the bed, raising an eyebrow as he simply asks, “Hey?”

Hongbin stares intently at Jaehwan for a second, mouth-pressed together, clicking his tongue as he asks with a dry laugh “Why is it that we’re always so drawn to each other? Like I haven’t seen you in months and yet the minute I spotted you downstairs I felt like I was just pulled towards you. It’s almost as if no matter what I do, I won’t be able to leave you.” Jaehwan parts his lips, searching for the right words, his mouth suddenly feeling extra dry. His ex-lover sits up, burying his face in his palms with a groan, glancing back up at Jaehwan with a tired smile. “You’re really about to marry that Wonshik guy, huh?

Jaehwan gives a sad smile back, tilting his head slightly as he responds “Oh Bin, we just don’t work…” He leaves out the words _on paper._

The brunet looks away for a second, nodding to himself. He takes in a sharp intake of breath, looking back at Jaehwan with a dimpled grin “Then I guess I should be looking forward to a spring wedding in England then?”

Jaehwan rolls his eyes, holding back a laugh as he stuffs his wallet and phone in his pocket. “I’ll make sure to send it through priority mail.” he teasingly responds, smirking at the other male as he slips his loafers on. 

Hongbin laughs loudly at that, folding his arms as he watches the older male walk towards the door. “Hey Jaehwan,” he calls out. The blond pauses, turning towards Hongbin with a raised eyebrow. “I meant what I said about working for our team. I think you’d be a great asset, so please consider it?”

  
Jaehwan blinks, humming. He turns towards the door, twisting the handle as he shrugs, a playful smile on his face when he glances over his shoulder to say “Send me the details and we’ll see from there. Hongbin’s face breaks out in an ecstatic grin, ready to hop off the bed when Jaehwan adds “But don’t hold your breath!” failing to hold back a smile. He closes the door behind him as he steps out in the hallway, taking a deep breath then walking towards the elevator, his heart already buzzing at the possibility of _working_ with Hongbin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any typos! Inspired by a storyline from the show _Succession_. The politicians in the show were sort of mirroring *coughs* two front-runners from the same party of the 2016 US election? Take what you will with that tid-bit because I clearly didn't go super into politics here XD Title inspired by a line from Kid Cudi's "Day and Night"


	23. Don't mix alcohol with blood (Keo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Taekwoon/Jaehwan (Keo)  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: Take more of me  
> Warning: minor mention of blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place in the same universe/story as day13's "What do you mean vampires are broke?" But can be read as its own piece.

Taekwoon pulls away with a sigh, unfazed by the clingy human currently making grabby-hands towards him. “No, no, take more of me, please! I can give more!” Jaehwan pleads, exaggeratedly throwing his head back, offering his neck towards Taekwoon. The vampire’s eyes focus on the minute trickle of blood, slowly dripping down the paler than usual neck. Taekwoon lets out a deep breath, moving his head down to lick a stripe up Jaehwan’s neck, hearing the blond let out a pleased sigh. He gives kittenish licks at the puncture site, so it closes up properly, placing a peck over it as he moves back up. Jaehwan whines loudly,  _ “No, Taekwoooon!” _ head lolling when he tries to sit up, hands reaching out for Taekwoon.

The vampire licks off the blood on the corner of his lips, hands gently holding his lover’s wrists, eyes scanning the human’s frame so alluringly draped on the divan, accentuated by the low-cut maroon silk pajama top. He shakes his head, responding “No, Jaehwan. You’ve lost too much blood. I’m not drinking anymore.” 

Jaehwan pouts his lips, shutting his eyes and petulantly squirming against the couch. _“I’m puh-fecly fine.”_

“You’re slurring your words, Jaehwan.” the immortal man deadpans, arm already reaching down to scoop the blond up by the waist. 

“Nuh ‘mm not.” Jaehwan giggles, head falling on Taekwoon’s shoulder, fingers moving up to play with the taller male’s black fringes.  _ “Youuu’re slurrring yourrs, sillly.” _ he remarks with a drawl, chortling as Taekwoon pulls him up. Jaehwan immediately goes limp, leaning and placing complete weight on his boyfriend. 

“Jaehwan…” the vampire scrutinizes, only to sigh and pull him up. “I’m not carrying you like a baby.” 

“But I  _ am _ a babyyy.  _ I’m youurrr babyyy.” _ he pouts once more, letting out little forced whimpers.

The immortal rolls his eyes, smirking despite himself as he mutters “I really shouldn’t have let you have alcohol tonig-”

“It was just one glass of wine!” Jaehwan bemoans, pressing his chin into Taekwoon’s shoulder, blinking at the vampire.

_ “And then _ I nearly drank a pint of your blood.” Taekwoon scoffs, arm winding around Jaehwan’s midriff once more. “You’re probably light-headed as fuck now.” 

Jaehwan giggles hearing that teasing  _ “Yuhr ah light-weight.” _

Taekwoon chuckles, shaking his head as he drags the human to the bedroom, responding “And you’re cute.” He gently pushes Jaehwan down, sitting on the side of the bed as he takes his lover’s slippers off, rubbing the feet momentarily. Jaehwan lets out a pleased purr, his blond hair splayed on the pillow like a halo around his head. Taekwoon smiles at the sight, biting his bottom lip slightly as he climbs onto the bed, hovering over the other. 

Jaehwan blinks up at him with a lazy grin, head tilting on the pillow as his boyfriend leans down to kiss those plush lips. One of Jaehwan’s hands moves up to the back of Taekwoon’s neck as he moans against the older male’s mouth, sucking on the vampire’s bottom lip. His other hand pulls Taekwoon down, pulling the taller male flush against him. 

Their lips languidly move against each other until Taekwoon pulls away, moving up to place a chaste peck on Jaehwan’s temple. “Sweetheart, you really should get some rest.” Taekwoon’s fingers comb through his lover’s hair, lips forming a grin as Jaehwan whines.

Nuzzling into Taekwoon’s neck, Jaehwan murmurs “Can we at least fuck?” 

Taekwoon laughs, looking down to find the blond pouting just as he imagined. He takes a hold of the mortal’s chin, placing a smooch against those pursed lips, affectionately squeezing Jaehwan’s cheeks. “Later, when you’re not so inebriated.”

_ “Inebriated?!”  _ Jaehwan asks in offense, whining  _ “Mm-I am off sound mminnd.”  _

The vampire smirks as he peppers the blond’s face with soft kisses, nosing along Jaehwan’s cheekbones as he nods “Yeah sure you are.” He pulls the covers over the two of them, wrapping an arm around his lover, a hand moving down to lightly pat Jaehwan's butt. “Be a good boy now and we can fuck in the morning.” 

Jaehwan immediately whines, turning towards Taekwoon, embracing the taller male and snuggling against his chest.  _ “Morninnng sex sounnn-nice...” _ he says through a yawn, dosing off as he does. The younger male’s lips are still jutting out, looking like two soft little pillows.

  
Taekwoon feels his undead heart swelling, biting back the coo he nearly gave. He tightens his hold around the human’s waist, looking up at the windows to make sure Jaehwan’s curtains are drawn, ensuring sunlight won’t be coming in. He sighs, already feeling a little bit tired since he knows he’ll have to go to bed  _ late, _ in vampire-terms at least. Of course, any premature fatigue or annoyance melts away when he glances down at the sleeping man in his arms; laying in bed all night and going to bed late-afternoon is totally worth it to be with Jaehwan. Taekwoon presses one last kiss to the crown of the slumbering man, sighing as he closes his eyes; a mid-morning nap never hurts, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kept wanting to use the words siesta or find a vampire-equivalent of a siesta lol Please excuse any typos!


	24. The Mint-Choco Fiasco (KenVi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Wonshik/Jaehwan (KenVi)  
> Rating: G  
> Prompt: You love me, right?  
> Warning: none

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jaehwan finally tells Wonshik the truth...he doesn't like mint choco.

Jaehwan blinks at his boyfriend from the couch, mouth opening and closing, debating if he wants to say something. Wonshik has an affectionate grin on his face, warm eyes inspecting the ice cream pints in approval before placing it on the table in the center of the chocolate pieces arranged into a heart. The older male stares at the desert on the table, chewing his bottom lip in worry. He glances at Wonshik as the younger male sits down next to him, a huge grin on his face as he hands Jaehwan a spoon, wrapping his arms around the shorter male. He runs a finger the dark brown locks, leaning in for a kiss. 

“Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.” Wonshik mutters against his lips, his fingertips unconsciously still massaging Jaehwan’s scalp. The brunet smiles, giggling against Wonshik’s mouth when he feels the other bring ticklish fingers down, mimicking how a spider would move. Wonshik pulls away slightly, boring his gaze into Jaehwan’s eyes as he says with a nervous chuckle "I know it’s not much,” referring to their Valentine’s date on a broke-college-students-budget, “but I’m glad we get to spend time together.” He sighs, cupping Jaehwan’s cheek, tenderly rubbing his thumb over the other’s cheekbone.

The older male’s heart swells, forming a sad smile when he thinks about how bad he’s about to hurt Wonshik. “Everything is just lovely.” he whispers, sighing as he takes Wonshik’s hands into his own, holding them on his lap. Wonshik blinks at him in confusion, mouth forming an ‘O’ when he sees Jaehwan nibbling on his bottom lip. Jaehwan exhales deeply before asking “Wonshik, you love me, right?”

Wonshik gasps, squeezing Jaehwan’s hands and pulling them up to his chest.  _ “Of course I do!”  _ His eyes are wide like saucers, as he dramatically, albeit seriously, whispers “I love you with my everything!” He pulls Jaehwan in for a tight embrace, fingers moving back to pet his hair.

Jaehwan swallows the lump in his throat, finding himself grinning at the younger’s words. “I love you too Wonshik.” He moves his head back to place a peck on his boyfriend’s lips, pulling away with a sigh. 

The younger male still has a dopey grin on his face, eyes comically widen as he goes “Oh!” He snaps his head towards the ice cream, grabbing the containers as he announces “We should have it now before it melts!” 

Seeing the green scoops of ice cream makes Jaehwan scrunch his eyes close, opening one as he says, gravely “Okay Wonshik...I need to tell you something.” The serious tone in Jaehwan’s voice makes the excitement in Wonshik’s face drop to concern. Jaehwan takes in a deep breath and finally rushes out “I don’t like mint choco ice cream!” 

Wonshik’s jaw drops, shaking his head a little. He glances down at the ice cream pints in his hands, confused “You don’t like mint...you don’t like this brand, baby?” And his voice is so soft and sweet, sad droopy eyes looking up at Jaehwan.

The brunet finally lets out in one breath “I don’t like it at all! I fuckin hate mint choco!” He gasps, eyes widening, slapping a hand over his mouth. He didn’t mean to yell that so harshly, panicking inside. Especially because he knows how passionate his boyfriend can be about this particular flavor. When Wonshik had found out Xydo didn’t like mint choco, he nearly fought the guy, not speaking to the other for days. He wouldn’t do that to Jaehwan...right?

He watches Wonshik splutter, mouth opening and closing, clearing his throat as he asks “Sweetheart, maybe you haven’t tried the right bran-”

Jaehwan whimpers, his lips subconsciously pushing out into a pout as he shakes his head “I’ve tried them all Shik, especially the day I found out it was your favorite but,” he whines, throwing his head back for a second “I  _ hate _ it.” 

“H _ -hate?” _ his boyfriend asks in disbelief. He watches Wonshik take in a deep breath, jaw clenching slightly. Wonshik shuts his eyes, holding the bridge of his nose for at least thirty seconds, as if he were collecting himself. Jaehwan chews on his lips, eyebrows scrunched in hesitation then shoots up when his boyfriend looks up at him. Wonshik nods, voice completely carefree as he says “Okay.”

The brunet blinks at him, “Okay?” 

Wonshik smiles, taking Jaehwan’s hands into his once more, thumbs rubbing the top of his hand lovingly. He sheepishly remarks “Yeah, it’s totally fine. I won’t have to worry about you eating my ice cream when we live together.” 

_ When we live togethe- _

Jaehwan’s heart nearly jumps out of his chest, squealing in delight as he crashes their lips together. The thought that Wonshik wants to  _ live together _ one day makes Jaehwan’s blood buzz, giggling as the younger male wraps his arms around Jaehwan. He yelps when he feels something cold against his back, causing Wonshik to take a sharp inhale of breath, immediately removing his arms and the ice cream container he was holding. “Oh, sorry! Sorry!” He chuckles, setting them down then tsks, “Jyani if you told me earlier I would’ve gotten you another flavor.” He shakes his head as he walks towards the direction of his kitchen, muttering something about his roommate Hakyeon must have some ice cream in the freezer.

Of course, Jaehwan isn’t paying attention. He’s still beaming at Wonshik’s little Freudian slip as he unwraps then pops a chocolate into his mouth, giggling as he imagines them getting a dog together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any typos!


	25. The Thing About Love (HyukBin; Keo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Hongbin/Sanghyuk (HyukBin); Jaehwan/Taekwoon (Keo)  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: The thing about love  
> Warning: miserably single Bin; hinted sex (no smut)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hongbin can't figure out how Jaehwan & Taekwoon work. Is the answer the key to figure out why he's still single?

Hongbin winces as he presses on his shoulder, rotating his head in the hopes he can alleviate some of the stiffness, as he walks towards the back of the restaurant. After serving a table of twelve older women drunk off mimosas and consistently flirting with him, it's safe to say Hongbin is tired to the bone. He cracks his neck from side-to-side as he pushes the backdoor open, stepping out into the alley with a loud, exaggerated yawn. He closes his eyes and inhales deeply, taking in the fresh air and letting out a pleased sigh. His eyes are still closed when the odor of a lit cigarette wafts over to him, causing Hongbin to crinkle his nose with a wince. "Euh." he groans.

A chuckle makes the waiter open his eyes widely, snapping over to the source of the laughter. He glances over and finds Sanghyuk hunched over on top of a milk-crate. The busboy is wearing a plain white t-shirt with black slacks, elbow digging into his muscular thighs, chin resting on the palm of his hand, a cigarette dangling between his index and middle fingers. His lips curve into a smirk as dark brown eyes peer at the waiter through the black fringes, slightly wavy hair parted in the middle. Even in such a banal scene, the college student looks  _ painfully  _ attractive. Hongbin shuts his mouth, realizing how dry his mouth is. 

“Too stuffy in there?” the younger male asks. 

Hongbin nods, pressing his lips into a thin line. “Yeah, the shift’s been kicking my ass so far.” he laughs dryly, suddenly feeling subconscious with how he’s standing, awkwardly sticking his hands into the little pockets of his golden vest, internally cringing when he realizes how it looks, pulling them out. He waves his hands around as he adds “It’s only half-way through my shift and I already look like a mess. I’m ready to go home, take a shower, and collapse onto my bed.” he chuckles as he stuffs his hands into the pockets of his black slacks. 

Sanghyuk nods in understanding, a small grin gracing his  _ gorgeous  _ face as he says, “Well, if it’s any consolation,” he pauses, tilting his head towards Hongbin “you look as handsome as you did walking in.”

The words stun Hongbin, blinking at the other.  _ Did Sanghyuk just call him...handsome? _ His mouth opens and closes, unsure of what to say. “Oh, uh…” he finds himself dumbly starting, internally groaning before he adds “...ah, thank you.” He realizes much too late that his traitorous lips are grinning widely, his cheeks immediately turning a shade of pink. Sanghyuk has an eyebrow raised in amusement, a smirk forming on his face. He hates it; hates how easily the younger male is able to be smooth while Hongbin fumbles with his words and actions.

Just then the restaurant door opens as the manager sticks her head out, glancing over at Sanghyuk to ask “Hey, are you almost done? We’ve got some dishes piling up.” The college student merely nods, stubbing the cigarette on the ground before throwing it away. 

He stands up and follows the manager in, shooting Hongbin a smile, “Enjoy the rest of your break.” 

The waiter nods with an enthusiastic grin on his face as he responds “You too!” Sanghyuk pauses for a quick second, holding back a smirk, before going in. Hongbin blinks at the closed door as his brain catches up, throwing his head back with a groan. “You idiot!  _ ‘You too?!’ _ He just got off of his break, ahh-” He cringes.

* * *

Hongbin steps out from the shower, feeling a lot more relaxed as if the water washed away his fatigue. He still feels a bit tired, padding his feet towards the direction of the open kitchen and living room, laughter already bubbling up in his chest. Jaehwan is dancing lamely in the living, singing into his karaoke microphone while he glances at the phone his other hand is holding up. He squints at one point and in the middle of the song mutters, “Shit, why the fuck is the font so small?”

“Maybe the font is fine and you’re just getting old.” Hongbin remarks, chuckling when his brother sends him an offended glare.

_ “Getting ol- _ motherfucker, I am only a year older than you!” he says into the mic. 

“You’re singing trot songs and don’t even know the words to the song, Jaehwan.” Hongbin deadpans.

“Exactly!” Jaehwan obnoxiously yells into the microphone, causing Hongbin to wince. “If I were old, then I’d know the words to the old songs...duh.” The older male reason, shaking his head at Hongbin’s general direction, his golden brown fringes moving as he does, looking pleased with his logic. 

Hongbin stares at his brother with an unimpressed look. He turns his directions towards the tall man in front of the stove as he says “Taekwoon, can you collect your man please?” The older male glances over his shoulder with a smile, acknowledging Hongbin’s words before moving his attention back to the saucepan in front of him. Jaehwan doesn’t wait a second longer, clearing his throat as immediately starts blaring into the microphone, eyes still glancing down at the lyrics on his screen every now and then. 

His brother looks ridiculous, dressed in an oversized Angry Birds t-shirt and old shorts, his hair a mess. In contrast, Taekwoon is still dressed in one of his fancy blue shirts, neatly tucked into a pair of navy dress pants, black hair slightly messier than how it was in the morning, but otherwise nicely styled away from his face. Hongbin watches the taller male turn the stove off, slapping a kitchen towel over his shoulder as he turns around with the saucepan, placing it in the center of the island. He looks up at Hongbin and softly asks “Bin, do you mind setting the plates?” at the same time Jaehwan loudly croons  _ “Abeojiiii”  _ into the microphone.

Taekwoon looks towards Jaehwan’s direction with a straightface, face clearly tired from hearing the brunet’s singing. Hongbin wonders if the older male ever regrets giving Jaehwan that microphone for Christmas. Taekwoon sighs, turning back to put away the spices and left-over ingredients from the countertop as Hongbin sets the plates, his mouth watering when he realizes Taekwoon made rosé pasta. He hears Taekwoon call out to Jaehwan, the younger male still lost in his own disco-lights filled trot world. The taller male sighs once more, steadily walking over to his boyfriend, hands in his pockets as he patiently waits for Jaehwan to finish the song. 

Hongbin watches the sight in front of him, how his brother, rather annoying, sings in Taekwoon’s face and how the older male lovingly patted his cheek. They’ve been dating for three years now, living together for a year and half, but Hongbin  _ still _ can’t figure out how their dynamic works. They’re so...so different...polar opposites. Hongbin still remembers when Jaehwan first introduced Taekwoon to their family, how he had thought “ _ I give it two months.” _ And yet, here they are, still together three years later. 

He watches Jaehwan finish the last word of the song, wrapping an arm around Taekwoon’s neck, brown eyes widely expectantly blinking up at Taekwoon with a boxy grin, like a puppy asking it’s owner “ _ I did good, right?”  _ The older male wraps his arms around Jaehwan’s waist, muttering something into the brunet’s ear. Jaehwan bashfully giggles, nodding as Taekwoon places a peck on his temple, rocking them both from side-to-side. Hongbin finds himself seething in disgust from the PDA, as if he were watching his parents makeout. Clicking his tongue, he yells out “Okay, can you guys be gross after we eat and when I’m not in the vicinity?”

Jaehwan still has a smile on his face as he brings the microphone close to his lips and definitively says “No.”

* * *

Hongbin rubs his eyes as he pads out from his room, incredibly parched. He flinches when he finds Taekwoon standing there, already dressed and ready for work, sipping on a mug of coffee. The older male raises an acknowledging eyebrow, humming “Morning.” 

“Morning.” Hongbin mumbles back, grabbing a glass and the water pitcher. “Heading out to work?” he mumbles against the glass. 

Taekwoon nods, rinsing the mug in the sink. “Yep. Do you have work soon? You’re usually not up this early.” he remarks.

Hongbin finishes the last of his water, letting out a pleased  _ ah, _ responding “No, I was really thirsty.” he shoots a glance towards his brother and Taekwoon’s room, adding “Jae still asleep.” 

The older male shakes his head. “He said rehearsals were starting early today. He left like a half-hour ago? Probably at the theater already.” 

“Oh, okay.” Hongbin says, moving towards the sink to rinse his glass. From his periphery he can see Taekwoon fidgeting in his place, faced in Hongbin’s direction. The younger male cautiously looks up to find a nervous Taekwoon, lips pressed together. Hongbin glances at the stove top’s clock, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion, “Hey don’t you have to head out for work?” He’s not saying it to get rid of the other male, in fact he gets along pretty well with his brother’s boyfriend. But it’s _7:30 a.m._ and Taekwoon is usually leaving by _7:00_ _a.m._

He sees Taekwoon look down at the floor as he says “Oh, uh...yeah. I called the office and said I’d be in late.” He licks his lips as glances back up, chuckling anxiously as he asks “Um...did you have anywhere to be today? Or do you think you can spare me an hour or two?” 

Hongbin doesn’t respond right away, blinking at Taekwoon in confusion. “Huh?”

Taekwoon rubs the back of his neck, sheepishly smiling “I, ahem” he clears his throat, “I still need to get a gift for Jaehwan...I was wondering if you could help me find something.” 

The younger male narrows his eyebrows, even more confused as he states as a matter of fact. “Wasn’t your anniversary like the other day? And his birthday is in April.” He stares at Taekwoon with slight judgement, surprised that the older male doesn’t know all this. 

“I-” Taekwoon splutters, shaking his head as he responds “I, yeah no. Not for that, Hongbin. For Valentine’s Day.” 

Hongbin’s eyes widen, feeling slightly stupid that he had completely forgotten about that holiday...then he feels a little pitiful realizing he forgot because he’s single as hell.

* * *

Taekwoon tilts the sneaker in his hands, eyes scrutinizing every detail as he tsks. “This one’s nice but I think he already has this.”

Hongbin whines into his hands from where he’s sitting, looking up in exasperation as he groans “For the love of god, just pick something,  _ please _ I’m begging you.” 

“I don’t want to give him something he won’t like...or something he already has.” Taekwoon retorts, visually criticizing a particular pair that caught his eyes. 

“But he has  _ everything _ already. Literally. My room was filled with his damn figurines before I moved-”

“Action figures.” Taekwoon corrects, gaze focused on yet another pair of shoes.

“Fine,  _ action figures, _ in an ENTIRE ROOM, Taekwoon. He has too much shit, just treat him to a spa or something.” Hongbin grumbles. Taekwoon snorts, chuckling to himself. The younger male looks up in confusion. “What’s so funny?”

Taekwoon looks over with an embarrassed smile, lips pressing together once more. “We, uh, we went to a spa before.” he timidly glances over at Hongbin to find the other shrugging at him, waiting for Taekwoon to add more to the story. The taller male sets the pair of shoes down, clearing his throat as he continues, “Uh...we kind of got banned from one.” 

“Banned?” Hongbin scoffs, muttering “Why would you guys get banned…” he slowly pausing, the gears in his brain clicking a little too fast as he groans loudly, “no, please, don’t fucking tell me!”

* * *

Hongbin is scrolling through Reddit in Taekwoon’s car, too impatient (and still a bit traumatized) to be near the older male. He yawns, glancing out of the window with a moan, thinking about how he could have just slept in. But  _ noooo, _ he just  _ had to  _ be a good person and offer to help Taekwoon. If he were still under the comforts of his blanket he wouldn’t have had to hear a  _ clearly flustered  _ Taekwoon tell Hongbin the masseuse walked in on them in a  _ “er, compromising position.” _ He clicks his tongue wondering how Jaehwan convinced someone as prim and proper as Taekwoon to something so wild.

He cringes once more, glancing out the window, his eyes immediately widening when he notices a familiar figure. There, in the distance, is Sanghyuk, dressed in a black winter coat with a beige turtleneck and blue jeans underneath. A side bag is slung over his shoulder and he’s holding an iced americano in his hand. Without giving it a second thought, Hongbin’s rolling the windows down, yelling out “Sanghyuk!” The busboy stops in his tracks, looking around. In that moment Hongbin panics, realizing he doesn’t know what to say once Sanghyuk walks up to him. Yet for some reason he yells even louder “Over here, Sanghyuk!” his arm even extending out of the window to wave the man down. 

_ Sigh. _ When Hongbin was younger, he had often wondered could he have been adopted? But moments like these, when he acts first and doesn’t think at all, humbles him...he clearly is Jaehwan’s brother. 

The college student finally glances at Hongbin, immediately grinning as he walks over. Hongbin smiles hesitantly, trying to sit up on the couch. Sanghyuk stops right in front of the car’s window, greeting the waiter. “Hey, Hongbin! What are you doing here?” 

Hongbin laughs out loudly for no reason; Sanghyuk didn’t say a joke. He clears his throat, responding “My brother’s boyfriend wanted my help to pick out a gift for my brother.” He motions towards the store adding “But he was taking too long so I’m waiting in the car, haha.” Sanghyuk is staring at him with a sliver of a smirk, nodding. Hongbin gulps. “So, uh, what are you doing here? Do you have class?” he asks, pointing at the bag.

Sanghyuk raises both of his eyebrows, glancing down at his bag, as if he just remembered it’s there. His smile drops to a lop-sided frown, as he regrettably looks up at Hongbin. “Oh no, I already had class. I was meeting up with one of my friends to study and I was already running late.” he dryly chuckles, smiling through gritted teeth.

The older male immediately winces, suddenly wondering if he’s burdening the other, slightly squirming in his seat as he frowns “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to st-”

“No, no.” Sanghyuk shakes his head, laughing as he says “I’m glad you called me over! If I didn’t cancel on Wonshik at least two other times already, I totally would’ve just ditched him again to talk to you.”

“But I totally jus-” Hongbin tries to peep up, only to be interrupted.

“No, seriously Hongbin. You just made my day.” Sanghyuk says, indefinitely shutting the older male up. 

Hongbin almost gapes at Sanghyuk, feeling his cheeks warming up. He clears his throat “Uh..really?”

Sanghyuk is smiling at him, a hand quickly diving into his jacket pocket to press on the vibrating phone as he responds “Absolutely.” Hongbin grins back. The busboy glances down at his pocket and apologetically looks at Hongbin. “I really have to go now, but you’re still working tomorrow right?”

Hongbin nods, “Yeah, my regular shift.” 

“Great!” Sanghyuk responds, walking back as he shouts out “Guess I’ll see you on Valentine’s Day then.” He smirks before turning around.

The older male shakes his head, pressing his hands onto his face, cheeks now  _ definitely red. _ His phone buzzes with a message from Taekwoon  _ “I don’t think I’m gonna get anything from here…we should’ve gone to a different store” _ Hongbin rolls his eyes, having half a mind to text back  _ “Well it was your idea in the first place, man”  _ but resists. He closes his eyes and sighs, a chuckle escaping his mouth. Maybe coming here with Taekwoon instead of sleeping in  _ was _ a good idea.

* * *

Hongbin is rubbing the back of his head as he walks out of his room, following the smell of fresh pancakes. He runs a hand through his messy bed hair, hissing when his fingers get caught on some tangled dark brown hair. Hearing a low moan from the kitchen, Hongbin glances up to find Taekwoon hovering over the island, hands moving into a fist on top of the table, black fringes covering his face, a pained expression on his face as he pants. Hongbin’s eyebrows narrow in concern as he gasps out “Taekwoon, are you okay? What’s wrong?”

The older male immediately snaps his head up with wide eyes as he slightly convulses, spluttering as he slightly backs away from the counter. “Oh, Hon-hongbin! You’re up!” he yelps louder that his usual volume, voice slightly hitched. 

“Uh...yeah I smelled pancakes…” the younger male starts replying, words drifting off as he watches Jaehwan peep his head from under the island, swiftly getting up to his full height. 

“Ah, Kong! You’re up!” he loudly greets with his usual volume, voice a little hoarser than usual. He chuckles forcefully,  _ nonchalantly  _ wiping his chin as he holds up a spatula “Taekwoon dropped this and I was just picking it up for him.” he explains, pressing his  _ glistening,  _ plush lips together in a smile. 

Hongbin glances between the two of them, Taekwoon at least having the decency to avoid eye contact, while his brother shamelessly grins. “Oh my go- that’s it! I’m fucking moving out! You two are disgusting!” he shudders, walking back towards his bedroom. 

Jaehwan follows after him “No, Kong, come back! Let me explain!” he yells. Hongbin pauses for a second, looking back at his brother to see what on earth he has to say. “Taekwoon got up on his off-day to make these super sweet heart-shaped Valentine’s Day pancakes and I just wanted to thank him, that’s all.” he says, blinking up at Hongbin with doe-eyes, as if it were the most logical explanation in the world. 

The younger male blinks at him, trying not to recoil “What the fuck? Why don’t you tank him by making dinner for him or something instead?” .

Jaehwan shakes his head, pouting “We already have a reservation at your restaurant tonight! And all I can make is kimbap and ramen.” He mutters the last part.

Hongbin lets out a groan, “Anything then! Anything that doesn’t involve you sucking him off in the kitchen while I’m home!” 

“You’re right, I’m sorry Bin!” the older male says, an apologetic look on his face. “I’ll only suck him off when you’re not home!” he grins. 

The younger male just gapes at his brother, unsure of what to even say. Taekwoon clears his voice from his side, “Uh...I also made sausage and eggs?” He’s rubbing the back of his hand, casually sweeping his hands over the table, eyes still averted. Hongbin has half the mind to go to his room and look for apartment listings...but the food smells incredibly good, making his mouth water.

“Fine.” Hongbin huffs, walking back to the kitchen table and grabbing a plate, appreciative that Taekwoon was thoughtful enough to make a serving for him, even if it’s not heart shaped with strawberries cut in cute shape. 

He glares at his brother, seeing him shyly smile at Taekwoon, mumbling “I’m gonna go, uh... I’ll be back.” as he speedwalks towards the bathroom.

Hongbin rubs his temples, looking between Taekwoon and towards the hallway as he shouts “You’re gonna pay for the years of therapy I’ll need thanks to this trauma!”

* * *

_ “Kong! Hey Kong!” _ Hongbin hears from behind him, keeping the forceful smile on his face as he ignores his brother. He nods to the patrons in his table as he drops off their food. 

“Enjoy!” he exclaims, turning around to find Jaehwan waving at him with a huge grin. Nearly rolling his eyes, Hongbin walks over to their table. “What is it Jaehwan? You can’t just yell my name like that!” he grits through his teeth. 

His brother pouts at him, blinking up at him like some hurt puppy, the kind of cuteness that helps the older male get out of a lot of shit...but it doesn’t work on Hongbin. He stares blankly at Jaehwan until the older male’s eyebrows furrows and he rolls his eyes, clicking his tongue, “Oh don’t look at me like that.” He motions his head towards Taekwoon, adding “They messed up Wooniee’s order but Taekwoon is too embarrassed to say anything.” 

“It’s not that I’m embarrassed, I just don’t want to cause any additional trouble.” Taekwoon sighs, sitting up straight as he looks down on the crab cakes on his plate, trying to hold his disappointment back. “Besides, I don’t mind crab.” he mutters.

“Taekwoon, you are literally allergic to it.” Jaehwan deadpans.

“Not that much! My lips just tingle a little, that’s all…” he argues, looking down as he pokes his meal with a fork.

Jaehwan, for once, doesn’t say anything else, simply looking up at Hongbin with a raised eyebrow. His expression is slightly pleading and slightly threatening, the underlying  _ I swear to God Hongbin, if anything happens to my boyfriend because you didn’t fucking change his dish… _ left unsaid, completely different than his usual playfulness.

The waiter sighs, gently smiling at Taekwoon as he reaches down, “I’ll get you your real dish Taekwoon.”

“N-no, it’s fine!” the older male tries to say in a quiet voice, watching helplessly, yet in relief, when Hongbin picks the plate up, giving it a second before he whispers “I ordered the steak.”

Hongbin widens his eyes, mouth opening and closing disbelief “You wanted the steak and you were just gonna eat the crab cake? That’s not even similar.”

_ “And, _ it makes my poor baby’s lip tickle.” Jaehwan butts in, lips pouty as he reassuringly pats the older male’s hand.

The interaction is a bit comical to Hongbin, snorting as he walks towards the kitchen’s window. “Hey, this order was supposed to be the steak but instead he was given the crab cake. He’s also allergic to it.” he says to one of the cooks, the man immediately giving him an apologetic look as he takes the plate away. The waiter glances towards the table again, watching Jaehwan playfully trying to feed Taekwoon food off of his own plate, the older male laughing at his boyfriend’s antics. Hongbin feels a sense of amusement watching the pair, thinking about how if Jaehwan never asked for the meal to be replaced, Taekwoon would have either left the restaurant without eating or would’ve left with an allergic reaction. 

He goes over to the tables he’s actually waiting on, walking back to the kitchen when Taekwoon’s food is ready. “Here you go. So sorry about the mixup Taekwoon.” he says as he places the steak in front of Taekwoon, the older male whispering a quiet  _ thank you. _

Jaehwan claps his hands, ignoring his half-eaten chicken, cheering as he beams  _ “Yay!! _ Thank you  _ Binnie!” _

He resists the urge to shove Jaehwan like he would if this weren’t his place of employment, instead chuckling as he walks away. Hongbin decides to take his break, standing by the bar once one of his tables finished their food, watching all of the couple celebrating Valentine’s Day. His eyes drift over towards his brother and Taekwoon’s table, watching Taekwoon place pieces of steak on Jaehwan’s plate, nodding as the younger male animatedly tells some story. 

“Are they being difficult customers?” someone asks next to him.

Hongbin looks over to find Sanghyuk grinning at him, dressed in his usual work get up, only with a thin white shirt buttoned over the tee. His hair is slightly parted on the side today, his hair looking rather straight. He looks nice, but that’s not new. 

Shaking his head, Hongbin smiles, “No, it’s just my brother and his boyfriend.”

“Oh?” the busboy remarks, glancing over at the table, “the one you went shopping with?” Hongbin nods in return, hearing Sanghyuk hum. “I just assumed because you were glaring at the table.”

The waiter is mid-nod when he hears what Sanghyuk said, jaw dropping slightly, face feeling flushed. He turns to find the college student smirking at him, understanding  _ oh...he’s teasing me. _ Hongbin closes his mouth, hoping he’s able to get just the right ratio of  _ flirty _ and  _ sassy. _ “Excuse me,” he starts off, uncontrollably breaking into a grin “I was  _ not  _ glaring.” 

Sanghyuk scoffs, placing an elbow on the bar, shaking his head “You totally were.” 

“Oh whatever,” Hongbin chuckles, glancing at Sanghyuk with side-eyes as he asks “what are you even doing out here?”

The younger male is blinking at Hongbin as he smirks “I said I was gonna see you on Valentine’s Day.” he tsks, shaking his head “I come out here during my break to spend some time with you and you ask me ‘why’ I’m here. I feel hurt.” he says, hand clutching at his chest. 

Hongbin is sure his face must be as red as the balloons decorating the hospitals, holding back the giddy noise in his throat. He tries not to look too eager, hoping to maintain an expression of suave the younger male always seems to have with ease. The waiter shifts against the counter, responding with a chuckle “Sanghyuk, it almost sounds if you’re flirting with m- oh shit!” he yells as his elbow slides off the bar and he topples over on top of Sanghyuk. 

The busboy’s arm moves around Hongbin’s waist, immediately steadying the older male. “You okay?” he asks in amusement.

“Yeah, yeah I’m good.” Hongbin responds, hoping the ground just opens up and swallows him whole. He nervously chuckles, averting his eyes as he stands up wondering how he can get the attention off of him. “You know...he didn’t even buy anything that day.” 

Sanghyuk hums in return, “Oh?”

“Nope. He just made a nice breakfast for him in the morning.” 

The busboy smiles, nodding “Well homemade breakfast is always thoughtful.”

Hongbin sighs, “Yeah it is….I just kind of feel like I wasted my time.” he laughs, licking his lips before nervously adding “I think the highlight of that day was seeing you.

Sanghyuk smiles “Was it now?” The waiter is about to respond when a loud gasp and murmuring from the dinning floor grabs their attention. Hongbin looks over in confusion, his jaw immediately dropping. Sanghyuk moves close to his ears and whispers through a chuckle, “I guess he ended up getting something for your brother after all.” 

“Uh-huh…” Hongbin responds, completely shocked. Jaehwan has a wide grin on his face, eyes brimming with tears while Taekwoon is kneeling on one knee in front of him while holding up an open box. “Wow,” Hongbin starts off “...I’m gonna have to move.”

“Are they gonna kick you out?” Sanghyuk asks in concern.

Clicking his tongue, Hongbin shakes his head. “No, they won’t…” he watches Jaehwan frantically nodding his head as Taekwoon moves up to kiss him, the other restaurant cheering at the sight. Hongbin sighs, “It’s insufferable enough living with them as it is.”

* * *

Jaehwan giggles as Taekwoon continues wrapping the thick winter scarf around his face, covering up well past his nose and obstructing his vision. “Taekwoon, I can’t see!” he slurs with a goofy laugh, his giggles indicating he’s clearly a bit tipsy. 

Taekwoon wraps both arms around the shorter male, a cat-like smirk on his fat as he embraces Jaehwan tightly, nuzzling against the brunet’s head “I just don’t want my  _fiancé_ to get sick.” 

_ “ _ What, your  _ fiancé?!” _ Jaehwan gasps as Taekwoon pulls down some of the scarf, pulling the taller male in for a kiss as Taekwoon moves them from side-to-side.

Hongbin watches the couple waiting for their rideshare, smiling despite himself. Three years ago he thought two wouldn’t last till the next year and here they are engaged; two very different people with seemingly nothing in common but here’s Taekwoon loudly sweet-talking Jaehwan while the younger clings on to him.

Hongbin stands there as he realizes the thing about love, it seems, is that there’s no real equation or requirements. It can happen between anyone, no matter how different they are. 

“They look really happy.” Sanghyuk says beside him. 

The waiter nods, hands in his puffer jacket as he slightly bounces on his feet, still smiling. “Yeah they do.” He turns towards the younger male “I’m happy for them. They deserve each other.” 

Sanghyuk is grinning when he leans over, “It was nice of them to wait around for you.” Jaehwan and Taekwoon had finished their dinner about an hour ago, but decided to go to the bar across the street while Hongbin finished his shift. 

“Ha, yeah. They’re thoughtful like that...but I also think Jaehwan just wanted to drink a little more and announce how engaged he is. He’s always been a bit of an attention whore, but I love him.” His eyes flick back to find his brother mumbling something, his lips extra jutted out as he blinks at Taekwoon, whining when the older male playfully bites his fingertips. Hongbin cringes at the scene, still a little grossed out by their PDA. “God, they’re so annoying.”

Sanghyuk laughs at the reaction, his eye crinkling a bit at the corner, lips spread widely across his face. He looks...adorable, not like the usual  _ cool _ guy. His features that would normally make Hongbin drool is making his heart skip a beat. He kind of wants to bop Sanghyuk’s nose. 

The college student slows down his laughter, pressing his lips into a thin, contemplative smile before asking “I was wondering if you wanted to maybe get out of here and grab a drink or something? I’m sure your brother won’t mind.” He teasingly adds.

Hongbin blinks at the younger male, initial reaction being that of panic for some reason. The two of them have been skirting around each other for the past couple of months now, but what if  _ actually _ going out will make Sanghyuk realize he doesn’t actually like Hongbin? What if Hongbin realizes Sanghyuk isn’t someone he can see himself with? And then they’d still have to work together, at least until one of them finds a better job or the college student graduates. 

_ “Kong! Binnie!” _ he hears Jaehwan yell out. He turns to find his brother and Taekwoon still wrapped up in a hug, the taller man smiling peacefully, resting his head down on Jaehwan’s shoulder. Jaehwan yells out “The Lyft’s here!” pointing to the car waiting in front of them.

Hongbin glances at the couple, finding himself grinning once more, thinking about how they’ve taken a  _ risk _ on this thing called love, despite being polar opposites, despite everything that could go wrong. He gives Sanghyuk a look and responds back to his brother. “Uh...I might come home a little later. You two head back!”

Taekwoon moves his head up and double checks “You sure?”

“Yep, I’m sure! Go on! I have my key.” He faces Sanghyuk with a toothy grin, inhaling excitedly as he asks “So...you were gonna buy me a drink?”

* * *

Hongbin yawns through a giddy smile, heart already racing as the phone buzzes in his pocket while he fiddles with the doorknob, a little too buzzed to easily put the key in. The door opens on its own, Taekwoon standing behind it with a sleepy grin, his black hair messy. “You’ve been trying to open this door for the past ten minutes.” he says as he moves away, letting Hongbin in. 

The younger male snorts, “Okay, three minutes at most.” He glances at the older male, narrowing his eyebrows. “Why are you even up…” he mumbles as he takes in Taekwoon’s appearance. The older male’s shorts are inside out and his long-sleeved pajama top fits tightly around his shoulders with a faded Hello Kitty on the front, clearly belonging to Jaehwan. It looks like he dressed in haste in the dark. 

Taekwoon gives a breathless chuckle as he moves to the kitchen, grabbing a half-filled glass, pointing to it “I was grabbing a glass of water.” Standing under the kitchen lights shows off the blooming red hickey on his neck, the mark looking rather painful if Hongbin were to be honest. The older male finishes off the water and starts heading back towards his room, glancing over to ask “You had something to eat tonight, right? Did you want me to make you some quick ramen?”

Hongbin’s glad he hasn’t made a comment on the mark, appreciating the older male’s offer as he shakes his head. “No, I grabbed a bite.” 

His brother’s boyfriend, no,  _fiancé_ nods, heading turning when their bedroom door opens. A sleepy Jaehwan shuffles out, a pout on his lips. Scattered pink and red bruises can be seen on his neck and chest, which are more exposed than usual due to how loosely Taekwoon’s white dress shirt fits him. A rather large one is seen on Jaehwan’s inner thigh, making Hongbin wince a little. Now  _ that _ looks like it hurts. “Taekwoon, where are you? The bed’s cold without you.” Jaehwan mumbles, making grabby hands at the taller male. 

Taekwoon looks over his shoulder and mouths  _ goodnight _ to Hongbin, turning back to Jaehwan as he takes the brunet into an embrace, cooing back “I’m right here baby.” smooching the sleepy man on the cheek, muttering against the skin “Just had some water. Let’s go back.” as he ushers them back to the room. 

Hongbin makes a mental note to look for apartments tomorrow because this is getting ridiculous. He sighs when he feels his phone buzz again, immediately smiling as he takes it out of his pocket. 

_ Can’t wait to see you tomorrow :) _

  
The message makes him squeal, spazzing in the hallway before immediately stopping, clearing his throat and looking around to make sure that he was alone. He sheepishly looks down at the text again and holds it close to his chest, excitement bubbling as he walks into his room, humming to himself as he showers and brushes his teeth, squirming under the blankets as he gets ready for bed. He eyes the message a couple more times, biting his lower lip as he types out  _ “Excited to see you too =)” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of had some parts I really wanted to write then others where I went "uh.....where do I go from here?" I mostly comfortable writing Jaehwan-centric things and I guess I really wanted to show Keo through the eyes of another person? Sorry if it seems too rushed or with no real development. I hope you like this! Please excuse any typos.


	26. Looky-Loo With a Bundle of Joy (HaKen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Hakyeon/Jaehwan (HaKen)  
> Rating: G  
> Prompt: But I guess you don’t know what I feel or think  
> Warning: cross-dressing (no smut)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When the gang is planning on an extravagant heist, Jaehwan has to do his biggest con of all: pose as leading lady Lee Jaehee.

Jaehwan pouts as he stares at the full-length mirror, turning to the side as he eyes his physique. He glances back up to his face, eyeing the brown wig he has on. He plays with bangs, twisting his plush lip, the breath he lets out moves the fringes, finger lightly brushing over the beauty mark on the tip of his cheekbone then dusted over with some setting powder. He frowns as he looks down at the navy blue dress he has on, disappointed at the bagginess. Jaehwan clicks his tongue as he pulls the dress back slightly to tighten it in front, scowling in disapproval. He pulls it forward to watch the fabric hug the outline of his ass, humming in mild approval. 

“Seems like you’re enjoying this.” comes from behind him. 

Jaehwan’s eyes flick up to the mirror to find Hakyeon leaning against the door, arms crossed in front of him, lips quirk into a smirk. The younger male rolls his eyes. “Actually I was thinking about how not only are you all forcing me to dress up like this, but you have the audacity to hide my figure in this sack. But I guess you don’t know what I feel or think.” he rolls his eyes, lips jutting out in petulence. 

Hakyeon chuckles, tilting his head slightly, focusing on Jaehwan’s ass as he hums “I don’t know, it’s looking pretty _tight_ from where I’m standing.” 

The younger male scoffs, “That’s because I’m pulling my dress against it. Here, watch,” he lets go of the dress, causing the fabric to float around his body like a raincoat. He frowns as he turns towards Hakyeon, the strands of the wig moving along with him as he huffs “Why couldn’t you get a more form-fitting dress. At least I’d feel more confident doing it. Or at least make Hongbin do it...or wear one yourself! Is it because you don’t have an ass anymore?” 

“Excuse you, I still have an ass.” Hakyeon gasps, moving off from the entrance. He starts walking over to Jaehwan as he continues “Sweetheart, you know we need Hongbin to work with the computer system, making sure the security cameras are only displaying what _we_ want them to display and I’ve already met with the museum coordinator.” Jaehwan opens his mouth in objection only for Hakyeon to add “And it makes a lot more sense for Wonshik and Sanghyuk are built to look like your ‘body-guards.’ I mean, Shik’s practically made for this role. Not to mention Sanghyuk has to swipe the Egg during all of the commotion while I activate the hologram.”

The ‘Egg’ in particular is the Fabergé Imperial Coronation Egg currently being displayed at the Italian museum; the subject of the gang’s heist, meticulously coordinated for months. Jaehwan grumbles under his breath, turning back towards the mirror, eyes scanning his reflection as he moves from side-to-side, sighing “That’s real fucking convenient.” 

Hakyeon chuckles lowly, placing his hands on either side of Jaehwan’s hip. “And you look _just like_ Lee Jaehee. To the tee-”

“You mean to the nose.” Jaehwan mutters.

The older male laughs, wrapping an arm around Jaehwan’s midriff, “Yes, the distinctive high-bridge nose with the _prettiest point._ None of us can pull it off.”

Jaehwan scoffs, making a show to roll his eyes despite the blush on his face. “I barely look like her.” he mutters, huffing up at Hakyeon “This dress doesn’t even fit.”

Hakyeon bites his lip, holding back a laugh as he reaches over to the ottoman in the hotel room picking up the cushion he left there earlier. “Ah, about that…” he says, rubbing the back of his neck, nervously chuckling “you see...Lee Jaehee is actually eight months pregnant right now.” 

The younger male blinks at Hakyeon’s reflection in the mirror, gaping at the older male. “No...no way.”

“Jaehw-”

“Hakyeon, there is no way on earth I can pull off being a pregnant woma- no, not just any woman but a famous actress!” Jaehwan starts shaking his head, panic setting in. “Oh, not even mentioning the fact that I’m impersonating a completely different perso- Hakyeon, do you know how much trouble we’ll be in if I get caught? _When_ I get caught? I can’t- I can’t do thi-” 

“Jaehwan, Jaehwan it’s okay, it’s- come here-” Hakyeon coaxes, wrapping a comforting arm over the younger male’s shoulder “Jaehwan, are you telling me you’re actually worried about this when I’ve heard you sing in the female key?”

“But there’s a difference between singing and acti-”

“I’ve seen you impersonating her and you’re _really good._ And you look _exactly_ like her, Jae.”

Jaehwan sighs, taking the cushion and shoving it under the dress, muttering “I don’t know how this is going to work...I’m sure I’m too tall for...” He shifts the pillow around so it doesn’t look too lumpy under the frock, twisting his plush lips and wrinkling his nose. He turns to one side to see how the faux baby bump looks then turning to the other side. “What is the purpose of me doing this in the first place, again?” he asks, exasperated.

“Oh, you’re the most important part, sweetheart.” the older male responds.

Scoffing, Jaehwan moves closer to the mirror, fluttering his eyelashes wondering if he needs anymore mascara. “How so?”

Hakyeon sighs, pressing his chest onto Jaehwan’s back, digging his chin onto the younger male’s shoulder. Jaehwan curiously peers up through his bangs as Hakyeon whispers “You’re the distraction: you’re the star of the show.” The younger male blinks at Hakyeon as the older male grabs a hat off of the ottoman, placing it on Jaehwan’s head. “When everyone else focuses on one of South Korea’s leading ladies-”

“I’d hardly call her a leading lad-” Jaehwan mutters.

Hakyeon doesn’t pause, continuing _“fainting_ around a huge crowd, all eyes will be on you while we make the swap and I turn on the projector placing the holographic Egg on the display. We’ll rush you out of there feigning you need air and by the time the projector is identified or stops working we’ll be half-way across the city and out of here.”

When Hakyeon explains these plans, he does it so well, removing all doubts and worries. Of course Jaehwan isn’t surprised because the older man is the mastermind of the group after all. It’s his creativity, confidence, and charisma that makes him leader of their group; it’s all of these _and_ the _painful_ good looks that seduced Jaehwan in the first place. He sighs, fixing the hat on his head, turning towards Hakyeon with a pout, muttering “If I end up in some Italian prison in a dress with a fake baby bump, I’m kicking your ass.” 

His lover tilts his head, raising an eyebrow and giving _that_ smirk that led to Jaehwan sleeping with him in the first place, simply responding “You can because I’ll be right next to you.” _Charming fucker._

A whistle is heard from the doorway with Sanghyuk raising both eyebrows, “Damn Jae, I didn’t know you had legs for days.” He laughs as Jaehwan flips him off, looking at his wristwatch as he mutters “Come on, it’s time to head out.” The younger male teasingly tilts his head in, pointedly staring at Jaehwan’s slightly accentuated ass, glancing up at an annoyed Jaehwan and slightly agitated Hakyeon, “Oh don’t be such sour pusses...it’s not good for the baby.” He slaps the door as he cackles, walking out into the hallway. 

Jaehwan scoffs at the taller male, looking over to find Hakyeon glaring towards the open door, jaw clenched, eyes aflame. He rolls his eyes and he reaches out for Hakyeon’s chin, “Oh don’t get jealous now; you should’ve known how good I’d look in a dress.” He places a quick peck on the leader’s lips, tapping the older male’s butt playfully with a sigh “Now let’s get this shit over with.” he says, walking a little too broadly and fast for a pregnant woman. 

Hakyeon gently reaches out for his shoulder, grinning at him to slow down. Jaehwan rolls his eyes “Don’t worry, I won’t act like this once we’re out.” He then grumbles “This wouldn’t have happened if we had a girl in our team.”

The leader throws his head back in laughter, wrapping an arm around Jaehwan’s shoulder, responding “We’ll try to be more inclusive going forward.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by a subplot of _Ocean's 12._ Jaehwan's hair and makeup is based off of the Drama _W_ parody VIXX did in that Star 360 show. Please ignore any typos!


	27. Sunday Kind of Love (KenBin)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Jaehwan/Hongbin (KenBin)  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: I’ll run to you, trust me  
> Warning: past relationship, mentioned sex (no smut), hinted happy ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Months have passed since Jaehwan's been at Hongbin's apartment.

A light, insistent caress across his face makes Jaehwan crinkle his nose, stubborn eyes still remaining shut as he tries to sleep through a gentle rumbling near his ear. It’s when he feels a sharp pain on his cheek does Jaehwan jolt up with a yelp, holding the offended cheek as he blinks at the feline next to his head. “Leo, what the hell!” he mutters, pulling his hand out to make sure he isn’t bleeding. The black and white Balinese cat takes this opportunity to move closer to Jaehwan, rubbing its head against Jaehwan’s chest, letting out a meow. Jaehwan sighs, an affectionate smile forming on his face as he pet the cat, the feline immediately lying down belly up, purring in satisfaction. 

Jaehwan yawns, blinking through slightly blurry eyes as he glances around the room, feeling disoriented as he finds himself in a familiar room...but something feels _off._ He rubs the back of his head, wincing when his fingers pull on his tangles, furrowing his brows in concentration until Leo’s meow grabs his attention. “Okay you drama queen,” he coos at the cat, rubbing Leo’s belly and giggling at the contented purrs. He leans down to nuzzle against the feline, muttering “Now where is your dad-” Jaehwan pauses, eyes snapping open in realization. “...oh.” he says out loud.

The brunet sits up, realizing why it feels so familiar yet distant at the same time. He and Hongbin broke up a few months back. This is the first time he’s been back at his ex’s apartment. No wonder Leo is being extra clingy with him; the poor thing hasn’t seen Jaehwan in a long time. It tugs on the human’s heartstrings. “Oh my poor baby, how I’ve missed you.” he baby-talks, nuzzling against the purring cat who lightly scratches at Jaehwan’s shoulder before hopping off the bed. Jaehwan sits up and exaggeratedly gawks at the pet, huffing “I thought you missed me!” 

He sighs, leaning on his forearms as he looks around the small bedroom: slightly messy but manageable, mostly Hongbin’s notebooks opened to random pages with some photographs on his study table, minimal clothing around the room, only a couple of chip packets and two bottles of empty tomato juice next to the trash can. It’s an improvement from a few months back. Jaehwan has a fond smile on his face as stands up, feeling a slight blush when he realizes he’s wearing Hongbin’s sweatshirt and shorts. He walks over to the study table, scrunching his eyes at some of the notes clearly written in haste. His gaze flickers over the mostly black and white photographs, fingers trailing through the pictures as he wonders how many more are currently in the dark room in the other room.

Jaehwan knows his ex’s exhibition is coming up in a month and a half, already clearing out his schedule for that night. He sheepishly smiles to himself, thinking of this as a preview to the show, swallowing the lump in his throat as he wonders if the younger male will even give him an invite. He shakes his head, thinking about how despite their breakup, their relationship has remained amicable; friendly if Jaehwan has to say so himself. Why else would Hongbin drive out in the middle of the night to rescue him from his stalled car during a snowstorm? Why else would he not only let Jaehwan stay at his place for the night, but even offer the bed? 

Lost in thought, Jaehwan continues to look through photos, freezing when he stumbles on one of himself. He sits down on the chair slowly, picking up the photograph, immediately recognizing when it was taken. It’s a photo of Jaehwan on stage, eyes closed as he croons into the microphone, spotlight hitting him at _just the right_ angle. It was the night Hongbin and Jaehwan had first met, the photographer falling heads-over-heels for the jazz singer, walking up to Jaehwan with a purpose as soon as the set was over, sweet-talking and charming him to no end.

Jaehwan bites his bottom lip, setting the photo aside. His eyes widen as he notices the next one, causing him to sharply inhale. His trembling fingers pick up the photo, one taken maybe four, maybe five months before they had broken up? Jaehwan is lying in bed, his mussed hair lighter then, the strangs spread on the pillow under his head. His eyes are slightly lidded, kiss-swollen lips forming into an open-mouthed grin, all though clearly in the middle of saying something. Part of his forearm can be seen in the bottom of the picture, as if he is about to cover the camera lens with his hand. 

He sets that photograph aside and picks up the next one, tilting his head as his lips part in wonder. This one was taken on the same day, perhaps mere minutes after the first one, his hair is still tousled, hooded eyes, lips still puffy except now parted in a gasp, his nose pointed up, the neck and collarbones decorated with love bites now exposed. Jaehwan gulps, feeling his cheeks warming up from the memory. He feels a comparable warmth in his chest, thinking about that Sunday and how they spent all day lazing around in bed. Hongbin had hopped off the bed to grab his analog camera, shouting something about _“golden hour”_ and _“breath-taking shot”_ despite Jaehwan’s opposing whines.

The younger male had climbed into the bed once more, immediately snuggling against Jaehwan, playfully nipping any skin next to his teeth, pressing his mouth against Jaehwan’s, giggling whenever their teeth knocked together. The jazz singer bites back a nostalgic grin, thinking about when Hongbin showed him the developing photographs in the dark room the following week. Jaehwan had gasped, his eyes brimming with tears, never feeling as _beautiful_ as that shot had made him. They had made love in the darkroom, laughing as they avoided getting the chemicals on themselves.

Jaehwan exhales wistfully, placing the photographs back how he found them. He rubs his eyes and sighs, standing up and pushing the chair back in. The singer opens the bedroom door and gingerly closes his eyes, inhaling the aroma of fresh vegetables, tofu, and broth. Etta James is playing on from the old record player the couple had thrifted when they were still together, the record being one of Jaehwan’s favorite. He sighs, opening his eyes as he steps out, gaze moving to the tiny but comfy kitchen, landing on the back of Hongbin’s wide shoulder. His eyes roam over Hongbin’s mahogany hair, looking soft and messy. He has half the urge to walk over and run his fingers through the strands. The younger male is standing over a pot on the stove, arm pulled up as if he were trying the soup. 

The older male holds back a smile, clearing his throat. Hongbin immediately snaps his head back, an initial look of surprise melting into a warm smile. “You’re up!” he exclaims. 

Jaehwan nods, grinning back “Yes. Good morning.” 

“Good morning!” Hongbin responds, grabbing two kitchen towels as he adds “Perfect timing too; I just finished the soup.” he eagerly says, as he moves the soup over to the two-person table already set up with two fried eggs and a couple of other assorted side dishes. “Come, sit down!” he motions towards the singer as he chuckles “Sorry...I don’t have a huge variety. I forgot to go shopping.” 

The confession is endearing, really. Jaehwan isn’t surprised because even when they were together, the two had a bad habit of relying on take-out, barely having their fridge stocked. “It’s okay,” he laughs, inhaling audibly as he pulls his seat out “Everything smells delicious!” 

Hongbin chuckles as he sets down a bowl and spoon in front of Jaehwan, pressing his lips together in a smile. “I just hope it tastes delicious.” he says as he pours some food for Leo in the cat’s bowl, then takes his seat across from Jaehwan at the small table. They exchange some pleasantries, talking about how the snow is looking a lot better than last night, how the sound of the snow shoveling woke Hongbin up from his place on the couch, bantering about how Jaehwan could or couldn’t take the couch because he’s too much of a princess, a couple of chuckles here and there mixed in with Leo’s occasional meows.

Scoffing at a teasing remark made by Hongbin, Jaehwan slurps another spoonful of soup through a grin, eyebrows narrowing slightly. He smacks his lips quietly, swallowing the soup in his mouth as he glances up at Hongbin. The photographer blinks at him, worrying his brows “What’s wrong? Is it bad?”

“Uh, no, it’s pretty good. It’s just…” he smacks his lips again as he glances at the soup, looking up at Hongbin “Is it just me or does the soup kind of have this glue taste?”

Hongbin’s lips part in confusion, eyes glancing at the pot of soup between them. “Oh wait!” he suddenly says, “Oh right, I was using a plastic spoon.” He laughs, “I think the spoon might have melted a little.” 

Jaehwan gapes at his ex, scoffing through an incredulous laugh “Did you really just poison me? After all of the turmoil I survived last night?” He clicks his tongue, teasingly shaking his head “You brought me back to your apartment to finish off the job, so you can have the satisfaction.”

The photographer sets his spoon down, staring at Jaehwan unblinking as he says with all seriousness, “I need the publicity for my show. Think of the headlines: _‘Upcoming exhibit of photographer who lured his ex under false-pretenses only to poison him with a plastic spoon.’_ Do you hear how absurd that sounds? I’ll sell out tickets in minutes!” he jokingly claims, snickering so loudly that Leo snaps his head up at Hongbin for a second before turning his attention back to his bowl. 

Jaehwan tuts his lips, sighing dramatically. “And think about all of the fan-mail that handsome face of yours is gonna get.” Hongbin snorts, as he has some more soup. Jaehwan nibbles on his bottom lip for a second, looking up as he says, “Thank you...for picking me up last night.” The other male pauses at his words, glancing up at Jaehwan. The singer slurps a spoon of his soup, swiping a tongue over his bottom lip as he continues “I really appreciate it Bin.”

Hongbin’s face softens from the initial confusion as he says “Come on Jae, I thought we’ve been through enough to know you don’t need to thank me for something like that.” 

“I know, but I could’ve called and bothered anyone else but I....” Jaehwan trails off, eyes focused on his bowl, playing with the broth. 

A hand covers his hand, causing him to freeze. Hongbin moves his hand away from the bowl, causing Jaehwan to abandon the spoon against it. The photographer sets Jaehwan’s hand down on the table, tenderly rubbing his thumb against the older male’s wrist. Jaehwan feels a shiver run down his back as he slowly glances up to meet Hongbin’s eyes, the younger male smiling. “What, you think you called and _bothered_ me?” he throws his head back in a laugh, glancing back at Jaehwan as he adds “Jaehwan, you’re never a bother to me. I care about you, I-” he hesitates, _I love you_ lingering in the air. Hongbin licks his lips, firmly squeezing Jaehwan’s hand as he says “If you’re ever in trouble, I’ll run to you. Trust me, okay? Not as a favor, not out of duty, not out of pity: because I _want_ to, all right?”

Jaehwan blinks up at him, his heart pushing against his chest, feeling a prickle in his eyes. “All right.” he meekly whispers back. Hongbin grins, giving the singer’s hand another squeeze. The brunet blinks where his ex is still clasping his hand, feeling an overwhelming rush of love and adoration in his chest. He turns his wrist over, smiling down at their joined hands, palm against palm, as he softly says “I’ve missed this.” 

He glances up to find Hongbin resting his chin on his palm, holding back a wide grin as he says, “I know. I’ve missed this too.” He presses Jaehwan’s hand once more, fingertips teasingly tickles the older male’s palm as he moves his hand back, causing Jaehwan to bite back a giggle. “Now finish your soup before it gets too cold. Maybe we can order a pizza or something for lunch.” he chuckles.

The older male playfully twists his lips, quirking an eyebrow “Oh, you mean my poisoned soup?”

“Hey! At least I made us breakfast!” Hongbin shouts back, ‘aggressively’ poking at his fried egg with his chopsticks, the nose of metal against porcelain making Leo growl. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop, sheesh.” Hongbin says, turning to his, well, _their_ cat, grumbling “It’s like you’re the one paying rent and I’m the free-loader.”

Jaehwan snorts, biting his bottom lip. He really did miss this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ended up being a little longer than I thought. I had a good time writing this and I hope you all enjoy it. The title is inspired by "Sunday Kind of Love" by Etta James. Please excuse any typos.
> 
> One more to go!


	28. Up All Night (ChaBin/LeoBin)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Hongbin-centric (hinted ChaBin & LeoBin; mentioned Wonshik/Taeyeon)  
> Rating: T  
> Prompt: Come here  
> Warning: none 
> 
> Non-VIXX idols are present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Head-writer Hongbin doesn't know who sent him flowers on Valentine's Day as he and his team stay up all night.

“Hey guys,” Hongbin starts apologetically as he walks into the writer’s room, “I’m sorry to do this to you guys but we’ve got to work all night.” A collective groan is released in the room along with some grumbling and complaints, causing Hongbin to sigh.

“Come on Hongbin, not on Valentine’s Day!” Baekhyun yells out, adding “There’s a bottle of red wine and box of chocolates I’ve been saving just for tonight!”

“I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone.” Hongbin shoots back. 

“Oh, I’m not.” the other male deadpans, prompting Hongbin to roll his eyes.

He exhales once more, “I know, I _know,_ no one wants to be here. I asked them to show a rerun instead and let them know we’re missing a quarter of writers from food poisoning, but the show airs in two days and we’ve barely gotten four decent skits or even the monologue, people. Hakyeon’s been on my ass-”

Someone scoffs, “Oh I bet he ha-”

“Oh, does someone want to get fired tonight? Because I will do it.” Hongbin cuts the voice off, getting a bit annoyed. He doesn’t always like reminding everyone what powers he has as head writer, but sometimes his employees get a little too comfortable.

A silence falls over the room, the remaining writers staring at one another until Suzy clears her throat, “To be fair...you can’t afford to _actually_ fire us, at least not this close to the show.” 

Hongbin slaps the swivel chair in front of him, shouting “Goddamn it Suzy! You didn’t need to say that out loud!” He nearly groans because he’s true: he’ll be screwed if even one of them has to leave. “Well, I hope you’ve already ordered yourself some dinner because we’re gonna be up all night.” 

Snickers can be heard through the room as Wonshik raises his hands, eyebrows shot up to his hairline in concern, “But Hongbin, this is so short notice. Some of us made Valentine’s plans with our significant othe-”

“Wonshik you don’t have any plans for tonight, nor do you have a significant other. Put your hand down.” Hongbin dismisses. 

Sanghyuk snorts, spinning a pen with his fingers as he points out “Sounds like you’re talking about yourself.” 

Hongbin splutters, glancing at the younger male “I beg your pardon.” 

“You have no problem making us work tonight because you weren’t going to do anything _anyways._ We all know you don’t have any plans.” the taller writer simply states.

“Wha- I _too_ had plans that I’d rather be doing.” the head writer argues, genuinely upset because he _did_ have plans, plans that involved his computer and _Among Us,_ but plans nonetheless. 

“Playing video games and drinking tomato juice I bet.” the other mutters, adding “You’re just punishing us folks in relationships because you’re miserably single.” The rest of the room bursts out in snickers and chatter...and at that moment Hongbin is damning himself for ever hiring Sanghyuk. Sure, at the moment it seemed logical to employ a young, quick-witted writer fresh out of undergrad ready to impress the world, but little did Hongbin know the timid giant with the black-rimmed glasses was actually a little shit, ready to expose Hongbin at any given time.

“Wh- that’s-” Hongbin stutters, unable to think of an adequate comeback. Hongbin cringes as Sanghyuk sits back in his chair with a smug grin, winding his hands behind his head, raising a challenging eyebrow. The head-writer sighs, ready to solemnly walk to his office when a knock on the door grabs his attention. 

A man is standing at the entrance, holding a bouquet of _gorgeous_ red and pink roses and a pink heart-shaped box. “Lee? I’m looking for a Lee.” the man says. 

Hongbin’s eyes widen, the entire room gasping. He swallows the lump in his throat as he inquires, “Uh, Hongbin? Lee Hongbin?”

The delivery man looks on both sides of the card, shrugging as he says “It only says Lee. Is there another Lee here?” the man asks. 

A murmur goes throughout the room, as Hongbin shakes his head. Wondering what sign from the universe must this be, because surely he’s getting these flowers as a mistake just to rub it in Sanghyuk’s face. Who else would send _him_ flowers and chocolates.

The delivery man shrugs once more, handing the bouquet over to Hongbin, “I guess they must be for you then. Can you sign for these here?” The delivery man hands Hongbin a clipboard and pen. 

Hongbin holds the flowers and box with one arm, hyper aware of all of the murmuring behind him as he awkwardly signs. He leans forward whispering to the delivery man.

“Happy Valentine’s Day.” the man simply states, eyes focused on the paperwork as he walks away. 

The head writer absentmindedly nods, eyes looking over the flowers as he mutters back “Happy Valentine’s Day…” He looks at the single card sticking out, _Lee_ printed with a pretty cursive. He purses his lips for a second glancing back at his writers, all looking a bit shocked and curious at the same time. Hongbin moves his light brown fringes away from his eyes, looking over the innocent bouquet once more, raising his head to meet a startled Sanghyuk. He has a shit-eating grin as he asks “You were saying?” 

The room erupts in a commotion, with a mixture of laughter, cheers, and jeers; some employees excited that Hongbin’s _“finally getting some dick”_ to _“oooh someone’s got a secret admirer”_ while others are sullen that _“shit, now we really have to stay?”_

Hongbin still has a smirk on his face as he walks towards his office, yelling over his shoulder, “Now stop messing around and write some damn jokes!” He slams his office door shut behind him, setting the flowers down on his desk. Curiously he opens the box to find some chocolate covered strawberries, letting out a little snort. He sighs, lightly caressing his fingertips over the bouquet, feeling a bubble of excitement in his chest as he feels the soft petals against his skin. “Now who the hell sent you?” he asks himself. 

* * *

“Who do you think it could be?” Baekhyun asks through a mouthful of food, one hand wiping away the mayo on the corner of his lips as the other has his sandwich in a death grip. 

Sanghyuk snorts, “Oh come on, it’s definitely Hakyeon. Ever since he took over as Vice President of the network’s television sector, the two have been super buddy-buddy.” 

“No, no, no, they’re just _platonic friends,_ okay?” Jessi teases, prompting a couple of chuckles. 

“Oh right, just _mentor and mentee.”_ Sanghyuk mocks back, stifling a laugh.

Wonshik groans as he throws his head back “Whether it’s Hakyeon or not, how’d he get someone and I’m still single? He’s like fifty times busier than I am...and I think I have more game than him, right?” A couple of snickers can be heard around the table, making Wonshik narrow his eyebrows, “Oh fuck you guys. I don’t even know why I bother to open myself up to you assholes.” he grumbles as he scratches out the punchline of the joke he was writing; it just didn’t work. He takes a swig of coffee, glaring at the paper as he tries to figure out how to end the sketch.

“Why don’t you go after Taeyeon the page? I overheard her playing a game of fuck, marry, kill the other day & she said she’d fuck you.” Baekhyun says, wiggling his eyebrows. 

Wonshik turns his head and spits out some of his coffee, specks landing on his paper and Jessi’s sleeve. He chokes as she shouts “What the fuck, Wonshik?!” wiping at the dark spots on her sweater with disgust.

“Taeyeon said that?!” he asks, wiping away the dribbling coffee from his lips. “Kim Taeyeon? Oh she’s so dreamy. She was joking about how our dogs should go on a playdate one day but what if that was just an excuse to spend time with me….” he drifts off, blankly staring at his notepad.

Sanghyuk looks at Wonshik in concern, shaking his head as he turns towards Baekhyun, “Dude, isn’t that your ex?”

Baekhyun shrugs, “Yeah, ex. So what? We broke up a while ago.”

“Who did she say she was gonna marry and kill then?” Jessi asks while wiping away the coffee, still glaring at Wonshik.

“Oh she said she’ll marry Minho and kill me.”

“Ohoho, nice!” Minho exclaims from the end of the table. 

“Shut up Minho! Handsome-stupid-cocky-fucker.” Baekhyun grumbles to himself as he takes another bite of his sandwich. He turns his head back towards Wonshik, “Anyways, you should totally go for her.” 

Sanghyuk scoffs, “Yeah right, she’s not about to go out with this idiot.” 

Wonshik splutters, glancing up at Sanghyuk “Hey, now why do you think that?”

“Because the first chance you’d get, you’d make a full out of yourself.” the younger male responds.

Jessi clicks her tongue, “Now that’s not fair. Let’s give Wonshik some credit.” she says while petting the sullen writer’s back. “He may be a little dumb, but he’s sweet and athletic: the perfect himbo. He’ll remind her of a puppy, oh isn’t he.” she coos whilst pinching his cheek.

“I feel like I should be offended, but thanks?” Wonshik responds.

“Tonight’s your chance, man! Go talk to her.” Baekhyun instigates, pushing shoving Wonshik. 

“Oh don’t pressure him, he’s gonna blow it.” Sanghyuk says as he types out a text to his girlfriend.” 

Scoffing Wonshik chugs the rest of his coffee. “We’ll see who blows it!” he shouts, hopping off of his seat and running towards the door.

They stare at Wonshik’s back, Sanghyuk shaking his tongue “Poor guy’s about to get his heart broken.”

* * *

Hongbin knocks on the door before stepping into Junmyeon’s office. “Hey Junmyeon,” he greets, glancing over his shoulder before slowly closing the door, “um...did you send me these flowers by any chance?” he quietly asks. His older co-head writer blinks at him in confusion “Why would I send you flowers?”

The younger male feels embarrassed right away, he’s cheeks becoming pink as he says “Uh, because it’s Valentine’s Day?”

Junmyeon’s eyes widen right away, jaw dropping as he says “It’s Valen- oh no!” he groans, immediately shutting his eyes tight. “Not again! I told my wife I wouldn’t forget this year!” he says, throwing his head back. 

Hongbin presses his teeth together, giving the older male an awkward chuckle, “Oh, don’t feel bad. I mean it’s just Valentine’s Day. I’m sure she won’t car-”

The older writer looks up miserably as he says “It’s also her birthday.”

“I- _oh...euh…”_ Hongbin cringes through gritted teeth, “yikes.”

“I know, _yikes.”_ Junmyeon says, looking at his wrist watch for a second as he grabs his coat from the back of his chair. “It’s only 11pm, maybe I can still find some balloons or something at a store! There should still be some open, right?!” he exclaims as he hops up from his chair, patting Hongbin on the shoulder as he rushes out “Thanks for reminding me!” 

Hongbin nods, waving back with a blink. “You’re welcome man...good luck.” He follows Junmyeon, confusedly watching Wonshik chug the rest of his coffee and speed walking out of the room. He shrugs as he walks back to his office and closes the door behind him.

The head writer sighs as he stares at the bouquet, the pink and red flowers innocently staring back. He clicks his tongue, grabbing the card off of the flowers and calling the number. He waits for someone to pick up before saying “Oh hi! My name is Lee Hongbin and I received flowers from your shop but I’m not sure who sent them?” The person asks him to check the card.

“Oh, I checked and there’s no name on the card?” the writer responds, cheeks warming up as he answers.

He narrows his eyebrows, scoffing as he responds to the flower shop employee. “What?! No, I do not have so many men after me that I can’t keep track of who sent me flowers!”

The flower shop employee starts getting louder on the phone, making Hongbin roll his eyes. “Wait, never mind, I found the card. It’s from your dad! Your gay dad. Goodnight!” he says, slamming the office phone down. He scoffs, looking at the receiver grumbling to himself. He grabs a chocolate covered strawberry and scowls at the phone as he chews.

Hongbin sighs, tapping his fingers against his desk wondering who would call him just _“Lee.”_ It’s odd that whoever sent these flowers wouldn’t write his first name down. Then he gasps, cheeks slightly blushing as he realizes the only person to refer to him as just _Lee_ is Hakyeon. 

He tsks, grabbing his cellphone as he calls the VP. The phone rings a few times before the other picks up. “ _Hell-ohhhh~”_ Hakyeon answers with a sing-song voice.

It catches Hongbin by surprise, never hearing the older male be so playful. “Hey Hakyeon, it’s Hongbin.” 

“Hey Hongbin, what is _up_ with you?!” the other cheerfully asks him.

The head writer glances at his phone screen, making sure that he called the correct number. He shakes his head and decides to cut to the chase. “Nothing much, but just wondering: did you send me flowers?”

Hakyeon scoffs, as he slurs “Why would I send you flowers?”

Hongbin scrunches his eyebrows, “I don’t know. Maybe you felt bad, or just because?” _Maybe because you wanted to…_ he thinks to himself.

He hears the VP break out in a boisterous laughter. “Now why on earth would I feel bad for _you~”_ the older male sings into the phone.

The head writer pinches the bridge of his nose as he asks into the speaker, trying to mask the _slight_ disappointment he’s feeling. “Hakyeon, are you drunk?” he decides to ask instead. 

There’s cacophonous laughter on the phone as Hakyeon yells away from the speaker _“He asked me if I’m drunk?”_

_“Tell him he’s drunk!”_ a familiar voice yells at Hakyeon, causing both to laugh. 

Hongbin scrunches his eyebrows, “Wha- is that Jackson? Are you getting drunk with Jackson?” He shouts, knowing this can’t be good. The star of his show can get pretty rowdy even without getting drunk. Who knows what trouble the two of them can get in together?

“Lee, I just signed my divorce papers! I’m a free man, let me live, goddamit!” the VP responds.

“Oh?” Hongbin sits up, brows raising up as he asks “You, uh, you got divorced? Today?”

The VP laughs into the phone, howling as he yells “I sure did, baby! Now let me celebrate! We’re about to go drinking all nigh- hey Jackson, man, where are you going?” he asks away from the phone receiver.

Hongbin awkwardly waits, hearing Jackson respond _“I’ve gotta go Hakyeon. I made some plans with my fiancé.”_

_“Oh come on Jack-”_ Hakyeon yells out distantly, before responding “I’ve got to go Lee! But hey...hey...do you hear me?” he asks.

The head writer rubs at his eye, a smile forming on his lips despite himself, “Yeah Hakyeon, what is it?”

“Happy Valentine’s Day Lee!” the older male slurs back with a giggle, the VP’s voice a little distant as he shouts once more _“I’m free~ come on Jackson, just one more drin-”_

Hongbin clicks off the phone call, shaking his head. He glances down and places a hand over his chest, confused why he feels palpitations. The brunet trills his lips as he stares at the flowers, tilting his head in wonder before smacking his lips. “Well, guess we’ll never know who sent you.” he remarks, stretching his arms out as he glances at his notepad. These jokes aren’t going to write themselves.

* * *

Junmyeon frantically runs past Wonshik with a tiny teddy bear and balloons, the co-head-writer running into the revolving door then shouting when the balloons start to pop. Wonshik doesn’t pay the older male any mind, walking towards the page at the reception desk with a cup of warm coffee. He clears his throat and waits for Taeyeon to look up. “Thought you might like some coffee.” he says as he hands her the cup. 

The page smiles at him, taking the cup “Thanks! You’re so sweet!” she says appreciatively, before taking a sip. “I normally don’t drink coffee at 1am, but gotta do what you’ve to stay up, right?” she says.

Wonshik laughs, rubbing the back of his neck “Same here! I wish we were stuck here all night, ha!” he says, chuckling nervously as he nods at the page. It’s silent for a second before he clears his throat, bringing up “Some people have actually plans, you know...for Valentine’s Day.”

Taeyeon nods knowingly, “I know.” 

He shrugs, chuckling “Did you have any plans?” 

She sighs, “No not really. I was maybe gonna watch a romcom or something with Zero.” 

Wonshik laughs loudly, “I was gonna do the same! But with Badass! We have so much in common!” he proclaims as if he rehearsed this at least five times in the bathroom, hands on his hips, a huge, nervous grin to go along with it.

Taeyeon smiles at him knowingly. “I’m kind of talking to someone else at the moment, Wonshik.” he sweetly lets him down. 

The writer’s eyes widen as he opens and closes his mouth, “Wha- of course you are! I knew that, haha.” he forcefully chuckles, face turning beet-red. “Well would you look at the time!” he says with a yawn, glancing down at his wrist only to realize he’s not wearing his watch today. He blinks then rotates his wrist as if that were his initial intention as he looks up at the page. “You know all that writing and typing really cramps up your hands and wrists. I wouldn’t be surprised if I ended up with carpal tunnel syndrome before I turn 30!” he laughs dryly.

“Wonshik,” the page calls out.

“Yes!” the writer immediately glances up.

Taeyeon sighs, saying “Come here.” moving forward to give him a hug then places an affectionate peck on his cheek “You’re a catch and a sweetheart, Wonshik. If I weren’t seeing someone, I’d totally date you.” she smiles at him. 

Wonshik curves his lips up with a sheepish grin. “Really?”

The page nods, still grinning “Yeah, really.” 

“Well,” Wonshik clears his throat, “that’s very sweet of you to say.” He slowly backs away as he looks up at the clock hanging above the reception desk, chuckling as he points to it “It’s nearly 2am, so I guess I better head up.” 

Taeyeon smiles at the writer, before adding “Hey Wonshik?” The writer looks back at her with a curious glance. She smirks, “You can tell the rest of them we made out if you want.” Taeyeon reaches down for a ringing phone, stifling a chuckle as Wonshik chokes.

* * *

Hongbin blinks at his computer screen, rubbing his drowsy eyes as he does. It’s 3am now and he’s gotten through a sketch and a half. He leans forward on his desk, stretching his shoulders slightly as he lets out a moan, sitting up to rotate his neck. The head writer is chewing on half a strawberry when his cell phone rings, popping the other half in his mouth and licking the excess chocolate off of his fingers before he grabs the phone.

After looking around his messy desk for some old napkin, he growls, opting to wipe his fingers on his jeans before answering the call. “Hewwo.” he mumbles with a mouthful, swallowing the last bits of the delightful snack as he clears his throat “Hello.” he repeats once more.

_“Lee! You’re up!”_ Hakyeon trills through the phone.

The head writer rolls his eyes, “Yes Hakyeon, you’re making us work all night, remember?” he says as the other male laughs. He squints as he realizes what time it is. “Hakyeon, wait why are you still up? Are you still out?”

He hears some rummaging, hearing something like _“give me the phone,”_ before Jackson says “Hey Bin, can you come pick him up?”

“Jackson, are you with him?” 

The star scoffs, “No he’s with me. I left him a couple hours ago and he showed up to my hotel room with two bottles of champagne and a couple of girls from the club, talking about celebrating. Can you come get him, please? The girls left but he’s still lounging here. My fiancé is _not thrilled_ to have him in our room.”

Hongbin rubs his temple, exhaling deeply as he glances at the blinking cursor on his computer screen. Maybe a half hour away from his computer would be nice. The letters are starting to blur together and light is starting to hurt his eyes. The head writer clicks his tongue as he saves his work, already walking over to the coat hanging on the back of his door as he says “Fine, drop me a pin. I’ll be there.” 

“Thanks man, you’re a lifesaver!” Jackson responds through the phone. 

_“Is Lee coming? Tell him to grab the Krug Clog du Mesnil from my office! I saved it for special occasions!”_ Hakyeon yells from a distance. 

“We already had that Hakyeon!” Jackson shouts back.

_“Oh yeah, I did!”_

* * *

“Unbelievable, you have us working all night on Valentine’s Day and then I had to fetch you from someone else’s hotel room.” Hongbin grumbles as he drops Hakyeon on the couch. He scowls at the VP as he pants “Jackson’s fiance thought I was a prostitute.” 

Hakyeon’s eyes are already shut as he mumbles “Nothing wrong with being a prostitute!” The older male’s black hair his messily spread on the couch’s cushions, his dress shirt rumpled and tie crumpled under his face, _still_ somehow looking handsome.

The head writer rolls his eyes, “No, sure, but this is ridiculous Hakyeon. I think you drank way too much.” he adds as he walks over to the drink table in the VP’s office, pouring a glass of water. “It’s nearly four in the morning.” he says as he places the glass water pitcher on the coffee table, moving the VP up before handing him the glass of water. “You’re gonna have an awful hangover tomorrow.” he mutters.

“Mmm-mmm, Cha Hakyeon doesn’t get hangovers.” the VP says proudly as he gulps the water. He lets out a pleased sigh and sits back on the couch, blinking at the ceiling before snapping his head towards the head writer, “Hey Hongbin! What do you say: you, me, and Atlantic city?”

Hongbin splutters as he glances at the older male, his heart racing at that question “Okay, you’ve _really_ drank too much tonight.”

The VP scoffs, “Oh please, I’m mostly sober. Come on, let’s get married!” 

“Hakyeon, you literally just got divorced!” Hongbin responds, hoping the other male is too drunk to realize the blush creeping up on his face. 

“Yeah, divorced, finally free…” the VP mutters, eyes slowly closing as he dozes off.

Hongbin chews on the inside of his cheeks for a second, pressing his lips together as he stares at Hakyeon. With a sigh, he places Hakyeon’s suit jacket over his snoring frame, resisting the tug on his cheeks. The writer takes his phone out to look at the time, glancing down at Hakyeon’s sleeping face for a second as he walks towards the door. He better get back to his writing.

* * *

Wonshik yawns as he places the coffee holders down on the table, mumbling “Here ya go.” as his desperate co-writers reach for a cup. 

Baekhyun takes a sip before moving close to Wonshik, whispering “Hey, did you talk to her?”

The younger male scoffs, a coy smile on his face as he replies “A gentleman never tells.” 

Sanghyuk laughs, shaking his head “Bull shit. I told you he’d blow it.” 

Wonshik feels a pitiful pat on his back as Jessi grabs her coffee, “It’s okay champ: there’s always next time.” 

“Oh, really?” Wonshik proclaims, smirking as he reaches into his pocket, “If I blew it, then how did I end up with her underwear?!” he loudly claims, proudly displaying the men’s underwear he fished out from his pocket. 

The entire table gawks at him as he grins widely, the sleep-deprivation clearly taking a toll on him. 

Minho walks by with a pitying sigh, patting his back “You tried man.” 

The remaining writers scowls, shaking their heads as they continue writing. It’s nearly dawn and a lot of work still needs to be done. Sanghyuk gently pulls the older male’s arms down. “Go take a nap man, you need one.” 

Wonshik nods, a dopey smile on his face “Yeah, I really do.” He giggles as Sanghyuk ushers him to the couch, the younger male shaking his head. 

“You sometimes really live up to that himbo title, Shik.” he endearingly chuckles at his best friend, patting the older male's back.

The older male shoots a finger gun, eyes already closed as he slurs “I aims to please…”

* * *

Hongbin yawns, blinking against the sun reflecting off of his computer screen containing his finished skit. He glances back at his window, squinting as the sunlight hits his eyes. The writer pops the last of his chocolate strawberries in his mouth, throwing the box in his trash can as he stands up. He stretches, taking a moment to watch the morning sun peak over the skyscrapers. “Wow.” he says, a sense of contentment washing over him. 

Glancing down at his long-sleeved tee, he crinkles his nose, groaning when he notices some sweat marks and chocolate on the front of his shirt. He’s pulling it over his head when the clearing of a voice draws his attention. 

Hongbin snaps his head back to find a tall man leaning against the door, awkwardly looking away. The man’s dress shirt is neatly tucked into his pants, the sleeves rolled up to his forearm, hands tucked in his pocket. His short brown hair is pushed away from his forehead, showing off his attractive face. “Uh hi.” the stranger says in a soft voice.

The head writer turns around fully, clearing his throat as he pulls his shirt down, “Hello. Can I help you?” he asks.

“Yes, um, I’m Jung Taekwoon. I work up in Legal.” the man responds, a shy smile on his face as he points to the name card on Hongbin’s door. “Are you Lee Hongbin?” 

Hongbin nods, hoping he’s not gaping too much as he moves out from behind his desk. “Yes, yes I am.” He extends a hand to Taekwoon as he says “I’m Lee Hongbin.” Taekwoon smiles politely, shaking Hongbin’s hand as the writer asks “From Legal, so you’re a lawyer? Did one of our jokes get the network in hot water? If that’s the case, I’m just the co-head writer; you should go see Kim Junmyeon. He’s the guy calling the shots.” he jokingly asks, hoping his humor would distract Taekwoon from the bags under his eyes. 

Taekwoon raises an eyebrow, chuckling lowly, “Oh no, we already went to Mr. Cha for all of that.” he shakes his head, adding lamely “I’m just kidding of course. You guys aren’t in any trouble, at least not yet.” Hongbin laughs at that, hoping he doesn’t sound too loud. Taekwoon smiles at Hongbin, staring at him for a second before clearing his throat, “Actually, I was wondering if you had gotten a couple dozen red and pink roses last night?” 

Hongbin’s eyes widen right away, mouth opening and closing as he says, “Y-yes. I did.” He tilts his head. “They were from, um, you?”

The taller male nods, pressing his lips together as he responds “Right, yes, they were actually for my boyfriend _Lee Jaehwan_ who works out in Accounting _,_ but I think they forgot to write his first name down.”

“Oh…” Hongbin says, a feeling of disappointment washing over him. “These flowers here?” he asks, moving over to show point at the bouquet on his desk. 

“Ah, there they are.” Taekwoon says, looking up at Hongbin “I think they came with a box of chocolate covered straw-”

“Nope, I only got the flowers.” Hongbin rushes out, beaming at the taller male, hoping he doesn’t seem suspicious.

“Yeah, my boyfriend was pouty all night during this dinner he made for me and I was confused because I knew I sent them up to him-”

“But they came to me instead…” Hongbin clarifies, wincing slightly. 

Taekwoon blinks at the shorter male, chuckling as he says “Right.”

Hongbin chuckles sheepishly, picking up the bouquet and handing it to Taekwoon. “Well, here you are then.”

Taekwoon immediately puts his hands up, shaking his head “No no no. They’ve come to you, so they’re yours now. Yours to keep!” He adds with a laugh. 

The writer glances down at the bouquet, holding back the grin on his face “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely!” the lawyer responds, fishing his phone out of his pocket as he says “Is it okay if I get a picture of you holding up your work ID and the flowers, you know, just so I can take a proof shot for my boyfriend?”

“Oh, of course.” Hongbin responds. He grabs his badge off of his desk, holding it up to his face with the flowers as the lawyer quickly snaps a photo. 

“All righty…” Taekwoon says, glancing down on the photo. He chuckles and flashes the screen towards the writer “It’s a cute one.” he says, smiling up at Hongbin.

Hongbin presses his lips together in a smile, muttering “Ha, thanks.” 

The lawyer sticks his phone back in his pocket, grinning at Hongbin. “Well Lee Hongbin, it was nice to meet you.”

“Likewise, Jung Taekwoon.” Hongbin smiles back.

Taekwoon starts walking out the door, pausing for a second and turning, a smirk on his lips as if he’s about to say something, He presses his lips together into a grin, looking away and shaking his head as he leaves. 

Hongbin watches the lawyer walk away, grinning despite himself. He looks down at the pretty flowers, setting them back down on his desk. With a yawn, he stretches once more, glancing up at the analog clock hanging in his office. 

_6:10 am_

The writer glances back down at the bouquet, looking like they belong on his table. He smiles. Seems like the perfect time for a nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by _30 Rock_ 's episode "Up All Night." This took me a lot longer to write than I anticipated since I don't write a lot of non-Jaehwan-centric stuff or things with other idol appearances (I still couldn't resist and threw in some background Keo; also Jaehwan as an accountant? Whaaaa) lol 
> 
> I love the show and wanted to do some type of 30Rock!au with VIXX. Please excuse any typos and hope this is cute and comedic enough for you all. Thank you all for keeping up with this challenge!

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/3star4life)


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